The sword of arrest appears to be dangling overe Robert Vadra’s head, with a Delhi court slated to hear a chargesheet filed by Enforcement Directorate after six days. Realizing the danger, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, for the first time, came out in defence of his Jija Ji (brother-in-law). The Congress party deployed its full army to defend Vadra.
Rahul Gandhi tweeted: “My brother-in-law has been hounded by this government for the last ten years. This latest chargesheet is a continuation of that witch hunt. I stand with Robert, Priyanka and their children, as they face yet another onslaught of malicious, politically motivated slander and harassment. I know that they are all brave enough to withstand any kind of persecution and they will continue to do so with dignity. The truth will eventually prevail.”
On Friday, the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi directed court staff to go through the ED chargesheet and submit its report within five days. On July 24, the court will decide whether to take cognizance of the chargesheet.
The matter relates to a 3.5 acre land deal in Shikohpur, Gurugram. ED’s charge is that when Bhupinder Singh Hooda was CM of Haryana, Vadra’s company Skylight Hospitality bought this land from Onkareshwar Properties for Rs 7.5 crore, and within 24 hours, Skylight registered it is Robert Vadra’s name, while normally this process takes three months.
Within two months, the land use of this parcel of land was changed and permission was granted for commercial development. Four years later, this land purchased for Rs 7.5 crore by Vadra was sold to DLF at a clean profit of 700 per cent.
Police had filed an FIR in September, 2018 in which Hooda was made one of the accused. ED started the money laundering angle, summoned Vadra thrice for questioning and on July 16 this year, ED seized 43 properties worth more than Rs 37 crore belonging to Vadra and his company. The next day, ED filed its chargesheet.
ED’s charge is that Vadra bought land in Manesar, Naurangpur, Lakhnaula, Sihi and Shikohpur villages at throwaways prices and sold them to realty companies.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate alleged that the government has been persecuting Robert Vadra for the last 11 years, this is the first chargesheet that has been filed and ED will not be able to prove its charges.
It is for the court to decide now, but the question is, how money laundering took place?
ED’s allegation is that Vadra made a big profit in the land deal and invested in purchasing two flats in London. ED says, arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari was the frontman for Vadra.
In its chagesheets filed in 2020 and 2023, ED had alleged that Sanjay Bhandari had purchased two flats on Bourdon Street and Bryanston Square in London, but the real owner of these houses was Robert Vadra.
Sanjay Bhandari fled to London from India in 2016 and on July 5 this year, a Delhi court declared him as a proclaimed economic offender. The Centre is now trying to extradite Sanjay Bhandari to India.
In defence of Robert Vadra, the questions that are being raised are: Can buying and selling of properties be treated as illegal? Can sale and purchase of land be called a criminal offence? Was Vadra given the licence for change of land use? Did Vadra made any stamp duty evasion?
Robert Vadra’s reply to all these questions is ‘No’. His supporters say, both land and land use licence are with DLF, then what is Robert Vadra’s crime?
But Vadra did not disclose his connection with DLF. Why DLF was so generous towards Vadra and made him earn 700 per cent profit on land in four years?
Questions that are being asked are: Is it not true that Vadra purchased land through fake documents? Did he not get the land use changed by misusing his clout with the state government? Is it not a fact that DLF lovingly bought Rs 7.5 crore worth land for Rs 58 crore? Is it not a fact that the real owner of both the flats in London is Robert Vadra? If the flats are not part of benami transactions, why did Vadra foot the bills for renovation of these flats? Why is the probe being called a political vendetta?
The probe is practically over and the matter is before the court. Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Jija Ji’ Robert Vadra and DLF are both accused in the case, and the swords continue to hand over both of them.
Chhattisgarh liquor scam : Is Baghel’s son guilty?
There is bad news for Congress from Chhattisgarh too. Former CM Bhupesh Baghel’s son Chaitanya Baghel was arrested on Friday by ED. He has been remanded in ED custody for five days. ED’s charge is that between 2018 and 2023, when Bhupesh Baghel was CM, a Rs 2,000 crore liquor scam took place in which his excise minister Kawasi Lakhma, businessman Anwar Dhebar and former IAS officer Anil Tuteja were involved. Black money earned as commission from this scam was converted into white through real estate companies owned by the CM’s son.
ED’s charge is that commission was taken from liquor manufacturers who supplied liquor to state marketing corporation. No records were kept about country liquor sold through government outlets and most of the money went in the hands of ‘liquor syndicate’. Liquor companies had formed cartel and got fixed market share in lieu of bribes. Till now, ED ha seized Rs 205 crore worth properties belonging to the accused and former CM Bhupesh Baghel was also interrogated.
On Friday, Bhupesh Baghel alleged that his son was arrested on his birthday because he was opposing clearing of forests meant to favour Adani group. Congress workers staged protest in Raipur.
The Chhattisgarh liquor scam surfaced in 2022 and it had become a big issue during the last assembly elections. At that time, Bhupesh Baghel had alleged that this was a drama to help BJP in the elctions.
After BJP came to power, Baghel had been asking what happened to the liquor scam. Now that action has been taken and his son has been arrested, Bhupesh Baghel is describing this as political vendetta. The matter is in court which will decide whether the accused are guilty or not.
Land for job scam : Trial of Lalu will continue
Former Bihar chief minister Lalu Yadav failed to get relief from Supreme Court on Friday in the ‘land for job’ scam. The apex court refused to stay trial in this case, but exempted Lalu Yadav from appearing in court during trial because of health and old age.
The apex court directed the trial court complete its proceedings at the earliest. Lalu Yadav may have got exemption, but when the trial will continue, corruption will become an issue for debate during Bihar assembly elections. This can harm Tejashwi Yadav’s electoral prospects. Lalu Yadav wanted to avoid this political loss, but the apex court poured cold water on his plans.