New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, facing heat over allegedly favouring Lalit Modi, a business and sports tycoon living in London, who faces allegations of tax evasion, courted fresh trouble on Wednesday by tweeting that a senior leader of the opposition Congress party had approached her for a diplomatic passport for an accused in the multi-billion dollar coal scam.

Swaraj did not name the Congress leader, but said the passport was sought for Santosh Bagrodia, who is an accused in connection with the allocation of a coal block. Bagrodia, who faces charges of criminal conspiracy and cheating, has been summoned by a special court on August 18.