Labour MP Keith Vaz faces probe over lobbying visa officials for Lalit Modi

New Delhi: Keith Vaz, one of Britain's longest- serving Indian-origin MPs, was on Sunday reported to the parliamentary standards commissioner after lobbying visa officials on behalf of former IPL chief Lalit Modi.

The Labour MP wrote to Sarah Rapson, the director-general of UK visas and immigration, inquiring whether Modi’s “travel document could be made available”, revealed a report in the Sunday Times.

Modi fled India for England in 2010 after his passport was revoked amid claims of financial irregularities.

After a long and drawn out battle with Britain's immigration authorities, the former BCCI official was granted leave to remain in March last year, allowing him to apply for British travel papers.

Vaz's intervention was key in helping Modi acquire necessary documents, which resulted in the delighted cricketer administrator shooting an email to his friends and family thanking his legal team “backed by just superstar Keith Vaz.”

Back then Vaz occupied the chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, which he could retain in the weekend election. Home Affairs Select Committee holds the immigration authorities to account.

However, Vaz has stated there was “no conflict of interest” and said the letter was written because Minal Modi, Lalit's wife had cancer, needing to travel abroad for treatment.

Andrew Bridgen, But Conservative MP referred the matter to Kathryn Hudson, parliamentary standards commissioner