British Prime Minister Tony Blair was under new pressure today for his government's links to a billionaire Indian family with a second minister under scrutiny for his alleged part in a passport scandal.
The scandal, involving the Hinduja brothers who control a global business empire, led earlier this week to the resignation of Blair's closest ally Mr Peter Mandelson who was Northern Ireland minister.
The guns of the media and political opposition have now been turned on junior Foreign Office minister Keith Vaz who is responsible for relations with Europe.
Ann Widdecombe, the shadow home secretary from the main Conservative opposition party, told reporters she wanted to know what links Vaz had with the brothers, including Srichand, the oldest of the four and who heads the business empire.
British newspapers reported that Vaz, Britain's first minister of Asian origin, wrote both to Blair and Mandelson in October, 1997, about giving Srichand a passport.
The alleged inquiry was made before Vaz was appointed to his ministerial post.
Reuters