Anna asks Congress to probe Vadra; FM calls it private deal

Anna Hazare on Saturday came out in support of his estranged associate, activist-turned politician Arvind Kejriwal, asking the Congress to probe the corruption charge against Robert Vadra. HT reports.

Social activist Anna Hazare on Saturday came out in support of his estranged associate, activist-turned politician Arvind Kejriwal, asking the Congress to probe the corruption charge against party president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra.

On Friday, Kejriwal alleged that Vadra took an "unsecured interest-free loan" of Rs. 65 crore from realty major DLF to buy property worth Rs. 300 crore between 2007 and 2010 from that company.

Hazare said the Congress shouldn't shy away from announcing a probe if it was sure that the allegations were wrong.

But finance minister P Chidambaram told a press conference in Mumbai that there was nothing wrong in the Vadra-DLF deal, as it was struck between two private individuals.

DLF clarification on Vadra deal allegation

He said, "These transactions ... have been disclosed in the appropriate income tax and other returns. And nobody has alleged any quid pro quo or any corrupt motive, beyond that I cannot say anything."

The Congress party also rejected the demand for a probe.

Party spokesman Manish Tewari said, "An inquiry into what? Is a business transaction between two private entities duly reported to the statutory authorities illegal? Is it a crime?"

Kejriwal, however, stuck to his stand, saying he was ready to face a defamation case if the charges against Vadra were proved wrong, asking, "Why is the Congress silent on the merits of the case?"

Hazare said when he and his associates had raised allegations against 15 "corrupt" ministers, the government noted that there was no case in them.

"Now, two of the ministers are out. The coal scam is out. The whole country has seen it."