Robert Vadra, the brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in Delhi. (File)Robert Vadra, the brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Delhi on Wednesday for interrogation in a money laundering case. Vadra was accompanied by his wife Priyanka Gandhi, but she left soon afterwards.
The case is linked to allegations of money laundering in the purchase of London-based property worth 1.9 million pounds. Last week, a Delhi court granted Vadra interim bail until February 16 but asked the businessman to join the probe.
#WATCH Robert Vadra accompanied by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrived at the Enforcement Directorate office to appear in connection with a money laundering case. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra left soon after. #Delhi pic.twitter.com/WI8qlLtF0X
— ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2019
Asked about dropping off her husband at the probe agency’s office, Gandhi, who took charge as the Congress general secretary, said, “I stand by my family.”
PTI quoted official sources as saying that Vadra would be put through questions on transactions, purchase and possession of certain immovable assets in London and his statement will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
This is the first time Vadra has appeared before any probe agency in connection with charges of dubious financial dealings. Vadra had denied these allegations in the past and termed them a political witch hunt against him.
During the hearing for anticipatory bail last week, senior advocate K T S Tulsi, representing Vadra, contended that his client was being “subjected to a farce of criminal prosecution, which actually is beset with nothing except political vendetta”.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accompanies Robert Vadra to the Enforcement Directorate. (ANI)Opposing the interim bail, ED’s counsel D P Singh and Nitesh Rana said that during the interrogation of Manoj Arora, an aide of Vadra, it was learnt that kickbacks were received in the 2009 petroleum contract, which was used to buy various properties in London.
The ED submitted that there were other cases, allegedly involving the acquisition of property through money laundering. The counsel also averred that Vadra possesses six flats abroad.
On December 7, the ED conducted searches in Delhi and Bengaluru and one of the premises searched, according to Vadra’s lawyer Suman Khaitan, was Vadra’s office in Sukhdev Vihar, New Delhi.
