Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chennai, June 17 : – Demanding release of letters written during the UPA government to the British authorities on the Lalit Modi case, former Union finance minister P Chidambaram today asked why External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj helped this fugitive procure British travel documents rather than providing him the Indian documents. “It is the content and the context of the letters that is all the more important”, he said. He maintained that Lalit Modi should have been provided with Indian documents subject to the condition of return to the country and face investigations. He questioned the decision of the UPA government against going in for appeal against the verdict of the Delhi High Court which had restored Modi’s passport. At the same time, he asked as to why extradition proceedings were not launched by him.
As the Finance Minister, Chidambaram had written to the British government seeking action against Lalit Modi who had taken refuge in London after he was accused of financial impropriety and money laundering.
Chidambaram had taken up the issue during his meeting with the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne in 2013. He had wanted Britain to deport him as Modi’s passport was impounded in India and his UK visa had run out.
