A cricket mogul tests the image of the Modi government. by Amy Kazmin

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power last year promising a “corruption-free government” for a population fed up with the scams that defined the later years of Congress rule. Marking its first anniversary in May, his Bharatiya Janata party administration even touted the lack of a big public scandal as one of its most significant achievements.

But amid New Delhi’s blistering June heat the government has found itself battling an unexpected political fire, sparked by allegations that Sushma Swaraj, foreign minister, did favours for Lalit Modi, the exiled architect of the riotous Indian Premier League cricket tournament.

Mr Modi — no relation to the premier — stoked the flames in a televised interview from an Adriatic seaside resort in Montenegro. He said Ms Swaraj had “supported” him after he sought her help in 2014; while Vasundhara Raje, now BJP chief minister of Rajasthan and an old family friend, had helped earlier in his exile.

Mr Modi changed the nature of Indian cricket with his creation of the lucrative, television-friendly IPL format in 2008. Two years later, he was ousted from his role by Indian cricket’s disciplinary body over alleged financial irregularities, which he staunchly denied.

Soon afterwards he moved to London, as Indian authorities began a formal probe into the alleged wrongdoing — investigations he describes as a “political vendetta” by the previous Congress party government, but which remain pending.

He was in London in March 2011 when New Delhi revoked his passport, hoping to force him home for questioning. But he remained in the UK and challenged the revocation. In August, the Delhi High Court ruled in his favour, ordering his passport returned. But shortly before the verdict Ms Swaraj, whose husband was a long-time lawyer for the cricket impresario, told British authorities New Delhi would not object if the UK government provided him with travel documents.

The revelation has prompted a furore, with the opposition Congress and the anti-corruption Aam Aadmi party accusing Ms Swaraj of impropriety and conflict of interest. They have demanded her resignation.

Ms Swaraj took to Twitter to defend herself. She confirmed telling senior British officials it would “not spoil our bilateral relations” if London gave Mr Modi travel documents. But she said she took a “humanitarian view” so that the exile could accompany his cancer-stricken wife to Portugal for treatment. “What benefit did I pass on to Lalit Modi — that he could sign consent papers for surgery of his wife suffering from cancer,” Ms Swaraj tweeted. “He was in London. After his wife’s surgery, he came back to London. What is it that I changed?”

Ms Raje has been accused of supporting Mr Modi’s quest for UK residency papers with an affidavit on his behalf in August 2011 while leader of the opposition in Rajasthan, but she has so far refused to make any public comment on the issue.

As allegations have engulfed two of the BJP’s most senior female figures, the prime minister has maintained a studied silence. Meanwhile, top government figures have so far backed the women, who are both trying to tough it out.

Yet the affair has taken a toll on the administration just as it was losing its sheen. Until now, its biggest image problem has been reining in some of the BJP’s more outspoken Hindu nationalist members. Compared with the multibillion-dollar scandals over natural resource allocation that hit the Congress administration, any impropriety by Ms Swaraj may seem like small beans — and there is no suggestion she received any financial benefits. Yet Indians are fed up with what many see as special treatment long afforded to the rich and powerful, even those under investigation for suspected wrongdoing.

During its decade in opposition, the BJP adopted a holier-than-thou political posture, disrupting one parliamentary session after another while demanding — often successfully — that any erring Congress ministers fall on their swords. It should not be surprised when the Congress, which had been seeking an effective stick to beat the government with, tries mightily to extract a similar toll.