Sushma's husband confirms he and his daughter represented Lalit Modi

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj’s husband and veteran lawyer Swaraj Kaushal on Tuesday confirmed that his daughter Bansuri – also a lawyer -- and he had been professionally associated with former Indian Premier League commissioner Lalit Modi.

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj’s husband and veteran lawyer Swaraj Kaushal on Tuesday confirmed that his daughter Bansuri – also a lawyer -- and he had been professionally associated with former Indian Premier League commissioner Lalit Modi.

Kaushal however denied that Modi had helped his nephew secure admission in the Sussex University, echoing Sushma Swaraj’s clarification on twitter just after the controversy broke out.

Replying to HT’s queries on whether his daughter Bansuri and he had appeared for Lalit Modi in the past, Kaushal texted: “Nephew’s admission is untrue. Rest is correct.”

This came in the wake of allegations that Swaraj had in 2014 sought to facilitate travel documents for Modi, who had been charged with financial impropriety in India and has been staying in London since 2010.

With allegations that Kaushal had requested Modi to help in getting his nephew admitted to Sussex University a year back, there were allegations of a quid pro quo. It was also alleged that Kaushal and his daughter Bansuri had appeared in court for Lalit Modi for years earlier.

When HT asked him whether his or his daughter’s appearing for Modi and Swaraj seeking to facilitate his travel documents as India’s external affairs minister constituted a conflict of interest, Kaushal did not respond.

Swaraj herself has said that she had sought to facilitate Modi’s travel on humanitarian grounds, as his wife had to travel to Portugal for cancer treatment.