Robert Vadra, Congress’ government in Haryana, and a land deal worth 58 crores: What does the ED chargesheet against Priyanka Gandhi’s husband say
A chargesheet has been filed against businessman Robert Vadra, husband of Congress MP from Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi, by the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday, July 17.
Robert Vadra has been accused of being involved in a money laundering case related to a 3.53-acre land deal in Shikohpur village in Gurugram, Haryana, in 2008.
Vadra was charged just a day after attaching his properties worth Rs 37 crore in a Rouse Avenue court, terming him of “Proceeds of Crime” in the land deal worth over RS 58 crore. Apart from Vadra, ED has accused 11 others in its chargesheet including Satyanand Yajee, Kewal Singh Virk, M/s Sky Light Hospitality Pvt. Ltd., M/s Onkareshwar Properties Pvt. Ltd.
The chargesheet says he purchased 3.5 acres in Shikohpur village in Gurugram’s sector 83 through his Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd. In 2008, Feb 12, he bought the property from Onkareshwar Properties Pvt Ltd for Rs 7.5 crore. The Congress government in Haryana at that time gave him a commercial licence to develop the property over 2.7 acres. But in a shocking revelation, it came to light that the same land was sold to DLF for Rs 58 crore. This action makes a high jump profit of direct Rs 50 crore within months of purchasing it.
Currently, the money laundering probe is based on an FIR lodged by the Gurgaon police in 2018. It was registered over fraudulent transactions in the land deal. The police said that the purchase was made through a “false” declaration. On July 16, the ED attached 43 properties worth over Rs 37 crore associated with Vadra and his entities. This also includes his Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd.
While the ED has charged Vadra, his office is claiming that the “present proceedings are nothing more than an extension of the political witch hunt by the present government”. He further stated that he would defend and clear his name in court. “As a law-abiding citizen, Vadra has always and will continue to extend his fullest cooperation to the authorities, and he is confident that at the end of it all, he will be cleared of any wrongdoing,” the statement claimed.
This is the first time any probe agency had registered complaint against him, who is booked under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). While some media claimed that Vadra is facing several cases of money laundering in many land deals. It was observed that he negotiated this under the then Congress government in Haryana and Rajasthan, led by then CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The CM has allowed to make modification in land use for agricultural to commercial/residential for properties acquired by Vadra, leading to windfall gains for him.
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