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Lalit Modi Controversy: Former IPL Chairman Claims He Met The Gandhi Family In London

Lalit Modi Claims He Met The Gandhi Family In London
Priyanka Gandhi (R), daughter of India's Congress Party president Sonia Gandhi, and her husband Robert Vadra arrive at a polling station to cast their votes in New Delhi on April 10, 2014. The third phase of voting in India's national elections began at 7:00 am (0130 GMT) in 91 constituencies, representing nearly a fifth of the 543-seat lower house, across the capital and 13 other states, including Maoist insurgency-hit eastern India. AFP PHOTO/RAVEENDRAN (Photo credit should read RAVEENDRAN/AFP/Getty Images)
RAVEENDRAN via Getty Images
Priyanka Gandhi (R), daughter of India's Congress Party president Sonia Gandhi, and her husband Robert Vadra arrive at a polling station to cast their votes in New Delhi on April 10, 2014. The third phase of voting in India's national elections began at 7:00 am (0130 GMT) in 91 constituencies, representing nearly a fifth of the 543-seat lower house, across the capital and 13 other states, including Maoist insurgency-hit eastern India. AFP PHOTO/RAVEENDRAN (Photo credit should read RAVEENDRAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has once again kicked up a controversy after he tweeted that he met Robert and Priyanka Vadra in London in 2013 and 2014.

"Happy to meet the Gandhi Family in London. I had run into Robert and Priyanka separately in a resturant (sic) - they were with Timmy Sarna," said Modi in a tweet. Sarna is the managing director of DLF Brands.

Modi tweeted that if they called him he would tell them what he feels "about them exactly" and will "mince no words".

3/3 them exactly. Will mince no words. Will make no deal. But tell them witch hunt will now make them realize I was 😇 pic.twitter.com/3IX7FuWpYA

— Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) June 25, 2015

Modi claimed that he had met them in 2013 and 2014 while Congress was in power, and that he doubted whether they had reported the meeting to anyone. Congress immediately rubbished Modi's claims, saying neither Priyanka or her husband had "have ever interacted socially with Lalit Modi".

"If you see an individual in a restaurant full of people, it is neither a crime nor it is morally wrong," said Congress' Randeep Surjewala.

Meanwhile senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh said that it wasn't wrong if either Priyanka or Robert had met Modi in London. "Is Priyanka Gandhi holding any official position and did she recommend anybody? How is she in the wrong?" said Singh. "People who helped Lalit Modi on paper are using Robert Vadra and Priyanka Gandhi as their defence."

BJP, which has been on the backfoot since several of its leaders are alleged to have aided Modi, was quick to capitalise on the latest tweets. "Certain tweets are coming to fore front, we have come to learn that Lalit Modi had a meeting with Gandhi family yesterday," said party spokesperson Sambit Patra. "We want to ask as to why Gandhi family is in constant touch of Lalit Modi? This raises a serious question."

We want to ask as to why Gandhi family is in constant touch of Lalit Modi? This raises a serious ques: Sambit Patra pic.twitter.com/hqTnRegVBq

— ANI (@ANI_news) June 26, 2015

Senior BJP leader GVLN Rao too hit out at Congress, questioning the "relation between the Gandhi family and Lalit Modi", asking them to come out with a public explanation for the alleged meeting.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.