Income Tax Officials Record Robert Vadra Statement In UK Properties Case

Income Tax officials investigating alleged tax evasion by businessman Robert Vadra -- the son-in-law of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi -- recorded his statement today. The case is linked to the properties he allegedly purchased in the United Kingdom through arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari.

Mr Vadra has been accused of channeling kickbacks received from a petroleum deal conducted in 2009 into the properties. He is already being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate in a related money laundering case, filed in 2018.

The IT team reached Mr Vadra's office in east Delhi's Sukhdev Vihar this afternoon, sources said. He was summoned earlier by the department, but had sought more time citing coronavirus. They left his house at 6 PM, sources said.

Mr Vadra allegedly owns several two properties in the UK, one of them in London's Bryston Square worth 1.9 million pounds (over Rs 17.77 crore).

Besides, there are two more properties worth 4 million pounds (around Rs 37.42 crore) and 5 million pounds (more than Rs 46.77 crore). Six other flats are also suspected to be owned by Mr Vadra, according to sources Enforcement Directorate.

The total value of these properties -- allegedly purchased between 2005 and 2010 --is believed to be 12 million pounds.

In September 2015, the agency had also registered a money laundering case alleging that Mr Vadra's firm, Sky Light Hospitality, had acquired land meant for rehabilitation of poor villagers in in Rajasthan's Bikaner.

In September 2018, a police case was lodged against him and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for alleged irregularities in land deals in Gurgaon.

It was alleged that Skylight Hospitality sold 3.5 acres of land in 2008 in Shikohpur village to DLF at a rate much higher than the prevailing rate.

Mr Vadra has said the cases against him are motivated by political rivalry.