Robert Vadra, Businessman And Priyanka Gandhi’s Husband, Gets ED Summons In Money Laundering Case
The Enforcement Directorate has issued a summons to Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi’s husband and businessman Robert Vadra for the second time in a 2008 Shikhopur (Haryana) land deal case. This is the second summons issued by the agency. He had skipped the first summons that asked him to appear before the agency on April 8.
Vadra has now been asked to appear again before the agency on Tuesday for questioning regarding potential financial irregularities involving his firm, Skylight Hospitality. Vadra has decided to appear in person this time.
What Is The Case Against Robert Vadra?
At the heart of the investigation is a 3.5-acre land parcel in Gurgaon’s Shikopur village. According to the ED, Vadra’s company purchased the land in February 2008 from Omkareshwar Properties for Rs 7.5 crore. The same plot was later sold to real estate giant DLF for a significantly higher sum — Rs 58 crore.
This dramatic spike in the sale price raised red flags for the central probe agency. The ED suspects the transaction might have been part of a money-laundering scheme. ED sleuths are now tracing the trail to determine whether the profits were used to legitimise black money.
What Robert Vadra Said
Robert Vadra walked to the ED office on Tuesday. Reacting to the summons, he said, “We told the ED we were organising our documents. I am always ready to be here. I hope there’s a conclusion today. There is nothing in the case. When I speak in favour of the country, I am stopped; Rahul [Gandhi] is stopped from speaking in the Parliament. This is all the BJP’s doing. This is a political vendetta.”
He further said that the BJP was hatching a plot to stop him from entering politics. “People love me and want me to join politics. Whenever I express my willingness to join politics, they bring up old issues to bring me down and divert attention from the real issues… I have been summoned 15 times and interrogated for more than 10 hours every time for the last 20 years… Organising 23,000 documents is not easy,” Vadra said while marching to the ED office.
