The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday recorded the statement of businessman Robert Vadra - Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's husband and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi's brother-in-law - over money laundering allegations linked to a 2008 land deal in Haryana.
Mr Vadra was questioned for over six hours and his statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. As he left he said, "How can you still be talking about something from 2007?"
Earlier today Mr Vadra marched from his home in Delhi's Sujan Singh Park to the probe agency's APJ Abdul Kalam Road office, a distance of 2km. He was accompanied by Congress supporters chanting 'jab Modi darta hai, ED ko aage karta hai', or 'when Modi is scared, he calls on the ED'.
The chants were a reference to repeated claims by the Congress and other opposition parties - that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government uses central investigative agencies like the ED to harass and target rival politicians, particularly before elections.
Robert Vadra, 56, also slammed the summons as "political vendetta" by the ruling BJP.
"When I raise the people's voice, they try to suppress me. I have nothing to hide. They can ask me whatever they want and I'll answer them. They misuse probe agencies... I do not have any fear. I have nothing to hide," he told reporters en route to the ED office.
The case involving Mr Vadra is about the purchase of land in Haryana - by his company, Skylight Hospitality - in 2008 for Rs 7.5 crore. He then got a permit to develop a housing society and the land value spiked. He sold it to real estate developers DLF for Rs 58 crore in 2012.
The Congress was in power in the state at the time and Bhupinder Hooda was Chief Minister. As a result, the BJP has accused its rival of stealing land from farmers to give to Mr Vadra. Mr Hooda has, just as often, dismissed the allegation; in October last year, before voting for the state election, Mr Hooda once again batted away charges made by the BJP.
"I challenge that the Congress did not give even an inch of government land to Robert Vadra. If the BJP shows proof of giving land to Vadra, I will leave politics," he said.
ED Action Against Sonia, Rahul Gandhi
Meanwhile, the ED today also filed a chargesheet against Congress MPs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, in connection with money laundering allegations in the National Herald case.
A special court will hear this matter on April 25.
READ | Sonia, Rahul Gandhi Named In ED's National Herald Case Chargesheet
On Saturday the ED had issued notices to take possession of immovable assets worth Rs 661 crore. These had been attached - in November 2023 - to the investigation into allegations of money laundering against Congress-controlled Associated Journals Limited.
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