Lalit Modi row: Sushma unconstitutionally facilitated a 'bhagoda', alleges Gurudas Kamat

Congress general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan, Gurudas Kamat on Thursday accused External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj of 'unconstitutionally' facilitating 'bhagoda' and former IPL chairman Lalit Modi to get his travel papers.

"There is no doubt about it. She herself knew that what she was doing was unconstitutional, was against the law of the land. That, she was helping a wanted criminal [against] whom the Finance Ministry had already issued a light blue coloured alert. The Enforcement Directorate was after him, seeking his return back to the country. She was doing this to facilitate his staying on in London and outside rather than helping the Government of India in bringing him back to the country, which should have been the normal course for any leader who believes in nationalism," Kamat told ANI.

"In her affidavit, that she is supposed to have given to him that time, which is now patently clear and exposed totally, she makes it a point requesting the British authorities not to divulge this information to Indian authorities, knowing fully well that this line itself fully implicates her. She knew what she was doing was wrong, against the law of the land," he added.

Swaraj, who has been facing criticism for helping Lalit Modi in procuring the travel documents from the UK, had earlier said that British MP Keith Vaz had spoken to her on the same subject, adding she believes that giving an Indian citizen 'emergency travel documents' cannot spoil relations between India and the UK.

Vaz said he had checked with the Indian Government before taking any action and added that he had received a 'no objection' from New Delhi.