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ED questions Robert Vadra in money laundering probe
A Delhi court on July 5 declared arms middleman Sanjay Bhandari a fugitive economic offender, a tag which allows ED to attach his properties worth ₹655 crore
Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, on Monday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with the agency’s probe against fugitive arms middleman Sanjay Bhandari, people familiar with the development said.
The businessman husband of Congress member of Parliament Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reached the ED’s office at APJ Abdul Kalam Road around 11am and was interrogated by a team regarding his association with Bhandari, a property in London linked to him and other related aspects of the case, officials said.
He had earlier skipped ED summons on two occasions - June 10 and 17 - citing different reasons.
ED’s probe against Bhandari, in which Vadra is also under the scanner, relates to two properties in London as well as some land parcels in India.
A Delhi court on July 5 declared Bhandari a fugitive economic offender, a tag which allows ED to attach his properties worth ₹655 crore.
Also Read: ED issues fresh summons to Robert Vadra for Tuesday in money laundering case
As exclusively reported by HT on July 9, the financial crimes probe agency has identified 16 properties of Sanjay Bhandari (12 in Delhi NCR, two each worth several million dollars in the UK and the UAE) and bank deposits, jewellery and cash running into crores, which can now be confiscated because he was declared a fugitive economic offender (FEO)z
The properties traced for confiscation are located in South City-1 and DLF Phase 1 in Gurugram, Jaypee Greens in Noida, Shahpur Jat, Hauz Khas, Vasant Vihar, Panchsheel Park (four properties), and Greater Kailash (two properties) in Delhi.
The two properties in London are 12, Bryanston Square, which is also linked to Robert Vadra, and Flat number 6, Grosvenor Hill Court, 13 Bourdon Street.
ED has previously claimed that Bryanston Square property, purchased in 2009 for 1.9 million pounds, was linked to Vadra as it was renovated on his directions and using his funds. It alleged that Vadraeven stayed there “three-four times”. An officer cited above said “this property has been sold by Bhandari, a sale he didn’t disclose to the Income Tax department”.
The middleman in defence deals is also under investigation since 2019 by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on charges of corruption in a ₹2,985-crore deal in 2009 to procure 75 PC-7 trainer aircraft from Swiss plane maker Pilatus Aircraft.
He fled from India in 2016 via Nepal and an Interpol red notice was issued against him in October 2017.
The Indian government sent two extradition requests against the fugitive businessman, were certified by the then UK home secretary Priti Patel in June 2020, after which British authorities arrested him on July 15, 2020. A court however, released him on bail pending extradition proceedings.
A Westminster Court subsequently ordered his extradition to India in November 2022 but he challenged this in the high court. The UK high court, on February 28 this year discharged him in the extradition request and an appeal filed by the Indian government against it was rejected on April 4.
With the window to extradite him closing, ED has had him declared a fugitive economic offender so as to seize his properties.
