'Criminal nexus' between Lalit Modi and Vasundhara Raje family: Ramesh

This is for the second consecutive day, Ramesh has accused Raje and her family of "forcible, illegal occupation" of the Dholpur Palace along with Lalit Modi through a private company

The Dholpur Palace row escalated today with the Congress raising the pitch for the sacking of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, saying there was a "criminal nexus" between her family and former IPL boss Lalit Modi, a charge rubbished by the BJP.

On a day of claims and counter claims, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told reporters in Delhi,"There has been a criminal nexus between Lalit Modi and the Vasundhara Raje family."

Declaring that Congress will not stop disclosures in the till a "closure" is done by the BJP by removing Raje, Ramesh released some fresh documents including one of 1949 which showed that the Dholpur Palace was owned by the Rajasthan Government.

For the second consecutive day, Ramesh accused Raje and her family of "forcible, illegal occupation" of the Dholpur Palace along with Lalit Modi through a private company.

In Jaipur, BJP Rajasthan president Ashok Parnami shopwed documents, saying a court document of November 22, 1958 clearly proved that the Dholpur Palace was handed over to Dushyant Singh, son of Raje.

The press meet saw heated exchanges between the media and the BJP leaders with one news channel correspondent repeatedly pressing Parnami to respond to questions from his boss over telephone.

Asked by reporters to give copies of the documents he was flagging, Parnami said they could file an RTI and verify the documents presented by them and the Congress.

Parnami accused Ramesh of trying to create "confusion" over the Dholpur Palace issue.

The BJP state president said following the court direction and the compromise Dushyant reached with Hemant Singh, his father and estranged husband of Raje, "physical possession" of the Dholpur Palace was taken by Dushyant.