Lalit continues to drop names on Twitter
Former IPL boss says he met Priyanka, Robert in London; Cong accuses Modi of lying, says meeting someone at a restaurant is no crime
NEW DELHI: Former cricket administrator Lalit Modi attempted on Friday to turn the tables on the Congress that has demanded a probe into his alleged nexus with BJP leaders, as he claimed in a series of tweets that he met Priyanka Vadra and Robert Vadra in London.
But his social media posts on Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s daughter and son-inlaw met with strong defence from the opposition party while even Union law minister and BJP leader Sadananda Gowda was dismissive of the statements.
“Happy to meet the Gandhi Family in London. I had run into Robert and Priyanka separately in a restaurant - they were with Timmy Sarna. He has my no. They can call me. Will tell them what I feel about them exactly,” Modi tweeted.
Sarna is the managing director of retail major DLF Brands and son-in-law of DLF group chairman KP Singh.
Gowda struck out at the ousted IPL boss, blaming him for attempting to create confusion by throwing around baseless charges. “Today Lalit Modi has dropped names of Priyanka Gandhi and Robert Vadra. Tomorrow he may name somebody,” the minister said. “So, he wants to create some confusion so that somewhere the cases against him are dropped, and somewhere some political activity should go on — so that he can rescue himself from the clutches of law.”
The Congress brushed aside these claims, saying meeting someone at a restaurant was no crime, as it also took a dig at the Prime Minister while alleging that Lalit Modi was working at the behest of BJP to divert attention to “non-issues”.
“I can say with full responsibility that neither Priyanka Gandhi nor Robert Vadra ever interacted with Lalit Modi socially. If you see somebody in a restaurant, it is not a crime,” said the party’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala. “Chhota Modi is helping Bada Modi with lies.”
Priyanka Gandhi’s office denied reports of a meeting with Lalit Modi.
The Opposition has been gunning for the BJP after reports emerged that foreign minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje helped Modi get British travel and immigration papers at a time he was wanted in India for alleged financial irregularities.
LALIT MODI WANTS TO CREATE SOME CONFUSION SO THAT SOMEWHERE THE CASES AGAINST HIM ARE DROPPED, AND SOMEWHERE POLITICAL ACTIVITY SHOULD GO ON — SO HE CAN RESCUE HIMSELF FROM THE CLUTCHES OF LAW
SADANANDA GOWDA, law minister
I CAN SAY WITH FULL RESPONSIBILITY NEITHER PRIYANKA GANDHI NOR ROBERT VADRA INTERACTED WITH LALIT MODI SOCIALLY. IF YOU SEE SOMEBODY IN A RESTAURANT, IT IS NOT A CRIME RANDEEP SURJEWALA, chief Congress spokesperson