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NEW DELHI: Enforcement Directorate is likely to soon file prosecution complaints (chargesheets) against Robert Vadra in at least three money laundering cases, including in the Gurgaon land deal case in which was questioned on Thursday for the third day running, officials aware of the probe said.
Sources indicated that the filing of prosecution complaints will ensure charges are framed against Vadra in all three cases simultaneously. The other two pertain to his alleged links with fugitive arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, who had acquired properties in London from alleged proceeds of crime from defence deals, and the laundering charges in a Bikaner land deal case.
Vadra’s questioning by ED, which extended to 16 hours till Thursday, came within days of the agency filing a chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi and leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald money laundering case.
The duo has been accused of appropriating assets worth Rs 5,000 crore of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), an erstwhile Congress-held company, through Young Indian (YI) where they held controlling stake of 76%. The remaining 24% shares of YI was held by former party treasurers Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, since deceased. The Gandhis were office-bearers of Congress and served as party presidents during the period of these transactions, and thereafter till 2022.
Vadra’s troubles, apart from the Gurgaon case, where he is accused of buying a piece of land for Rs 7.5 crore and selling it on for Rs 58 crore in a matter of a few months, stems from his alleged association with a close aide, CC Thampi, and Bhandari. ED has documented its money trail against Thampi and Bhandari in a chargesheet filed earlier and linked them with allegedly payoffs received in multiple defence deals, including India’s purchase of 75 trainer aircraft from Swiss company Pilatus.
ED’s probe in the Pilatus deal found alleged kickbacks of Rs 310 crore in accounts of Bhandari’s Dubai firm, Offset India Solutions FZC. The ‘proceeds of crime’ were allegedly used to buy properties in Dubai and London. ED traced Rs 150 crore and attached Bhandari’s assets worth over Rs 26 crore in India, also filing a chargesheet. Vadra has been linked to Bhandari’s London properties.
In the Bikaner land deal, Vadra is accused of buying land meant for displaced people using forged documents through associates. ED attached his Delhi properties, alleging 275 bighas were bought via Skylight Hospitality for Rs 72 lakh and sold for Rs 5.2 crore.
In another case, a supplementary chargesheet filed on Nov 21, 2023, said Vadra, Priyanka Gandhi, and Thampi bought 531 acres in Faridabad between 2005-08 from Delhi realtor H L Pahwa. Vadra and Thampi are also being probed in a 12-acre deal in Gautam Budh Nagar in UP.
ED said all three later sold the land back to Pahwa, who sold it to DLF group firms. The court took cognizance of the chargesheet on Dec 22, 2023, and began charge-framing. Vadra and Priyanka were then not accused in the case.
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