6 years ago
New Delhi:
Businessman Robert Vadra is being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate for the second consecutive day in a money laundering case. The agency alleges that he owns a number of properties in the UK, bought illegally through kickbacks received in India when the UPA government was in power.
The brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi was questioned for more than five hours by Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday.
The case involves nine luxury properties based in London allegedly owned by Mr Vadra worth several million ponds. NDTV has learnt from sources that Mr Vadra has denied any association with absconding arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari and his cousin Summit Chadha, key to the case. He has also denied that he directly or indirectly owns properties in London.
The 49-year-old has got immunity from arrest till February 16. He has called the cases against him a political witch-hunt. He left the agency's office close to 10 pm, nearly six hours after he went inside.
Mr Vadra's lawyer said the businessman has signed an undertaking that he will appear for questioning whenever summoned.
Here are the updates on the story:
The agency is questioning him on his links with the main players in the case - controversial arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, his nephew, and two others.
Mr Vadra has reached the Enforcement Directorate office after a short lunch break.
In a five-hour session yesterday, the Enforcement Directorate, the agency investigating the case, questioned Mr Vadra on allegations that he illegally owns nine properties, cumulatively worth 12 million pounds (Rs. 110 crore), in London.
Mr Vadra leaves for lunch after two hours of questioning. Mr Vadra, who appeared at ED office around 11:20 am, was questioned till 1:30 pm.
Yesterday, he was questioned for over five hours - from 4 pm to 9:30 pm.
Robert Vadra has been asked to appear before Enforcement Directorate, Jaipur office on February 12.
Cases against Robert Vadra
United Kingdom assets case
The Enforcement Directorate had filed a case of money laundering in the purchase of a property worth 1.9 million pounds (over Rs 17.77 crore) at 12, Bryanston Square, London. The probe agency claims the property belongs to Robert Vadra.
Apart from the Bryanston Square mansion, two more properties worth 4 million pounds (around Rs 37.42 crore) and 5 million pounds (more than Rs 46.77 crore), as well as 6 other flats are also suspected to be owned by Mr Vadra, as per ED sources. The combined value of these properties is said to be 12 million pounds. These properties bought between 2005-2010.
Bikaner land deal money laundering case
In September 2015, the ED registered a money laundering case alleging that Robert Vadra-owned Sky Light Hospitality had acquired land in Kolayat, Bikaner, which was meant for rehabilitation of poor villagers.
It was alleged that Mr Vadra bought 69.55 hectares of land for Rs. 72 lakh and later sold it to Allegeny Finlease for Rs 5.15 crore through illegal transactions.
As per ED investigation, Allegeny had no real business and shareholders were also found to be fake.
Kickbacks in petroleum deal
The Enforcement Directorate claims Mr Vadra and his associates received 'Kickbacks' in the petroleum deal signed in 2009 during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime.
BJP alleged that Mr Vadra benefited from petroleum and defence deal which took place under UPA government and used the money to buy posh properties worth several crore rupees in London.
ED claims that initial probe reveals that these London-based assets are part of kickbacks Mr Vadra received in a petroleum deal.
The money was allegedly transferred to Santech International, FZC, a company based in UAE and controlled. Santech then purchased the 12 Bryanstone Square mansion from Vortex, a private holding, and later Vortex shares were transferred to Skylight Investment, FZE, which is led by NRI businessman C Thampi.
Gurgaon land deal case
A case was filed against Mr Vadra and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in September last year for alleged irregularities in land deals in Gurgaon, now Gurugram. He has faced allegations that his company Skylight Hospitality sold 3.5 acres of land in 2008 in Shikohpur village to DLF at a rate much higher than the prevailing rate.
A team led by Joint Director and two Deputy Directors are questioning Robert Vadra, news agency ANI said.
Robert Vadra has denied owning property in UK
Mr Vadra has claimed the investigation was part of a political witch-hunt. During yesterday's five-hour questioning, he has denied owning any property in the UK or knowing the people, including arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, whom the agency is investigating.
Sources told NDTV that Mr Vadra is taking his time consulting lawyers in the case. On Wednesday, Mr Vadra was confronted with several documents relating to Manoj Arora.
Manoj Arora is a former employee of Skylight Hospitality LLP, a firm linked to him Mr Vadra.
The money laundering case was initially filed against Manoj Arora, whose role was detected during the investigation in another case against Sanjay Bhandari, by the Income Tax Department, the Enforcement Directorate had told the court.
Robert Vadra was scheduled to reach Enforcement directorate office at 10:30 am.
The case involves nine London-based properties allegedly owned by Mr Vadra worth several million pounds. Three of these are villas, the rest luxury flats purchased between 2005 and 2010.
Mr Vadra's lawyer said the 49-year-old businessman has signed an undertaking that he will appear for questioning whenever summoned.
Yesterday, Robert Vadra was quizzed for over five hours in a money laundering case after a court asked that he join the investigation. The 49-year-old, who was dropped to the central Delhi office of the agency by wife Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, has got immunity from arrest till February 16. He has called the cases against him a political witch-hunt. He left the agency's office close to 10 pm, nearly six hours after he went inside.
