New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS): Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's family has "received money" from former IPL chairman Lalit Modi.

"Whenever there is a robbery or stealing, a financial transfer takes place. There has been a financial transfer here as well. Sushma's family has received money from Lalit Modi. She should tell the country exactly how much money Lalit Modi has paid her family to keep himself out of jail," Gandhi said outside parliament.

Sushma Swaraj on Thursday told the Lok Sabha that she did not recommend to the British government to give travel documents to former IPL chief Lalit Modi. She also said the allegations against her of recommending travel documents for Lalit Modi were "wrong and baseless".

The minister had also questioned Congress president Sonia Gandhi what she would have done had she been in her place.

Rahul Gandhi said: "As Sonia Gandhi's son I can say she would not have done the same thing. Whenever there is some stealing happens, secrecy is maintained by the thief. In this case, Sushma has maintained full secrecy. Nobody in the ministry other than Sushma Swaraj knew about this decision. After this decision, government of the United Kingdom changed their position."

Sushma expert at theatrical politics: Sonia Gandhi

Congress president Sonia Gandhi said on Friday that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is an expert at "indulging in theatrical politics".

Sushma Swaraj had said on Thursday that she was ready to face the consequences if helping former IPL chairman Lalit Modi's wife on humanitarian grounds was a crime.

"She (Sushma Swaraj) is an expert at indulging in theatrical politics," said Sonia Gandhi before she joined her party colleagues protesting the suspension of 25 Congress MPs by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.