Robert Vadra says sorry for violating travel terms, verdict on ED plea tomorrow
Robert Vadra said that he made an inadvertent error and instead of "to Dubai", he wrote "via Dubai" in his application seeking permission to travel. Vadra is currently on bail in a money laundering case filed by the ED.
A Delhi court on Wednesday reserved its order till tomorrow on a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to forfeit fixed deposit and initiate legal proceedings against businessman Robert Vadra for violating terms and conditions imposed by the court on travelling abroad.
Vadra, husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, offered an unconditional apology before the court even as the ED said action should be initiated against him. In an affidavit, Vadra said that he made an inadvertent error and instead of "to Dubai", he wrote "via Dubai" in his application seeking permission to travel. Vadra is currently on bail in a money laundering case filed by the ED.
A Delhi court had earlier expressed its displeasure with Vadra for allegedly violating the terms and conditions imposed on him by the court last month, while allowing him to travel to the United Kingdom via the United Arab Emirates.
On August 12, a city court had allowed Vadra to travel abroad to the UK via UAE, Spain and Italy for four weeks.
In an order of Monday, special judge Neelofar Abida Parveen took exception to Vadra’s explanation for his stay in Dubai on account of medical exigency during his trip to UK and said that she was unable to accept the assertion by Vadra that he was forced or compelled under the circumstances of his health.
Issuing a show cause notice to Vadra, the court asked why his fixed deposit receipt (FDR) deposited in terms of the order dated August 12 be not forfeited for violating the terms and conditions of the permission granted to Vadra.
The court further said that a copy of the travel tickets indicated that Vadra was supposed to stay from August 25 to 29 in Dubai then he was about to travel to London on August 29.
“I am unable to accept the assertion on sole affirmation of applicant contained in para 5 of the affidavit that the applicant was forced/compelled under the circumstances on account of medical exigencies to stay at UAE while traveling via UAE to UK for the simple reason that itinerary filed on August 22 and copy of the travel tickets indicates that Vadra all along intended to stay from August 25-29 at Dubai then travel to London on August 28,” the court said in its order.
Vadra in his affidavit after his return has said that he stayed in UAE before embarking on his further journey because he had deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his left leg and he had been advised to take proper rest between long-haul flights".