Lalit Modi's remark of being hounded by UPA is 'laughable': Congress

New Delhi: The Congress party on Friday termed former IPL chairperson Lalit Modi's allegations of being targeted by the UPA government as 'laughable', adding that the latter should come to India and challenge those charges if he was innocent.

"Lalit Modi's remark that the cases were unfairly lodged against him during the UPA regime is a laughable matter. If he is innocent then he should come here and reply those charges. He got his passport revoked by a High Court after it was cancelled during the UPA regime," Congress leader PL Punia told a news agency.

"He is not coming here because he has something to hide. He is accused of money laundering to the tune of Rs 700 crore. He gave Rs 11 crore to Vasundhara Raje's son, without a reason. He is a fugitive and he should avoid pointing fingers at others," he added.

Lalit Modi's legal counsel Mehmood Abdi had earlier claimed that the former IPL chief was being hounded by the UPA government both in India and during his extended stay in London.

Meanwhile, in more trouble for the BJP, which has been defending External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, despite opposition demands that she be sacked for helping Lalit Modi, the former IPL boss has claimed that Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje secretly supported his immigration plea in Britain.