HC junks Robert Vadra’s plea in Bikaner land case

The Rajasthan high court on Thursday dismissed the petition of Sky Light Hospitality LLP, a partnership firm of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s husband Robert Vadra and his mother Maureen Vadra, seeking the quashing of the ECIR registered by Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering probe into a land deal in Bikaner.

The Rajasthan high court on Thursday dismissed the petition of Sky Light Hospitality LLP, a partnership firm of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s husband Robert Vadra and his mother Maureen Vadra, seeking the quashing of the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) registered by Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering probe into a land deal in Bikaner.

Robert Vadra. (ANI)

The court, however, provided the petitioners protection from arrest for four weeks. The petitioners are likely to file an appeal against the order in the double bench of Rajasthan high court.

The Enforcement Directorate registered an ECIR on September 17, 2015, in connection with alleged money laundering in a land deal in Bikaner , for which summons were issued to Mahesh Nagar, the local intermediary who facilitated the deals for Sky Light Hospitality.

The case pertains to 31.61 hectares (125) hectares of land in Gajner village Bikaner bought by Sky Light Hospitality on January 4, 2010 from Ashok Kumar, driver of Mahesh Nagar, for ₹42 lakh.

ED hasclaimed that its investigations showed that in 2007, the land was originally allotted to Natha Ram and Hari Ram, two fpeople who do not exist, by Bikaner revenue authorities. The two the sold the land to Rajender Kumar Swami and Kishore Ram respectively. In 2010, Swami and Ram acting through a power of attorney granted to Ashok Kumar sold the land to Sky Light Hospitality, for ₹42,00,000. In February 21, 2012, Sky Light sold the property through a power of attorney granted to Mahesh Nagar to M/s. Alegany Finlease Pvt. Ltd for ₹2,81, 13,540 (2.81 crore)

On August 8, 2014, Commissioner, Settlement, Bikaner, informed the original allottees about the cancellation of allotment of lease in view of wrongful allotment. On August 26, 2014, four FIRs were lodged at Tehsil Gajner, Bikaner against Natha Ram and Hari Ram alleging that original allottees had connived with the revenue authorities and obtained forged land documents for sale of land. On February 2015, Sky Light filed civil suits against the persons from whom it bought land accusing them of fraud.

In July 2015, the Enforcement Directorate registered an ECIR and a year later issued summons to Mahesh Nagar, Vadra and his mother to appear before ED for questioning. Nagar and Vadra challenged the summons saying no offence under Prevention of Money Laundering Act was made out against them. On 26 October 2016, the court stayed the ED proceedings in the case.

A single bench of Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati, who had reserved his judgment on Wednesday after three days of hearing, delivered the verdict on Thursday.

“This Court does not find that any case is made out so as to grant the relief to the present petitioners, as prayed for in the instant petitions, at the present stage. Consequently, the present petitions do not merit acceptance, and the same are accordingly dismissed,” the court said

While pronouncing the judgement, justice Bhati granted two weeks’ relief to the petitioners. After the judgment was pronounced, senior counsel KTS. Tulsi , appearing for Vadra and Nagar made a request that the interim orders, which have been extended for two weeks from today may be extended for four weeks. Accepting this, the court extended the protection from arrest till January 19, 2023.