In a new twist to the row over Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj helping Lalit Modi obtain British travel papers, documents released by the controversial former Indian Premier League boss show that Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje agreed to be secret witness for his immigration application. According to a three-page note released by Lalit Modi's public relations team, Ms Raje had supported Lalit Modi's application for immigration to the UK in 2011, when she was opposition leader, but on condition of strict secrecy. "This witness statement is provided on the strict understanding that its contents and the identity of its maker are treated confidentially and that it is used only for the purposes stated in it," says the document dated 18 August 2011, nearly a year after allegations of corruption surfaced against Lalit Modi in connection with the multi-billion dollar cricket league he founded.
Sushma Swaraj was earlier accused of facilitating travel document of Lalit Modi. The minister, however, clarified that she helped him on ‘humanitarian grounds’. Vasundhara Raje is yet to respond but sources close to her have highlighted the absence of any signatures to establish the authenticity of the note, which was part of a docket mailed by Lalit Modi's PR team early this morning. The Raje documents have been seized by the Congress, which alleges that top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have helped and protected Lalit Modi.
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