The Enforcement Directorate has named Robert Vadra in earlier charge sheets related to the case as a close aide of CC Thampi. However, this is the first time that Priyanka Gandhi’s name has come to the forefront. New Delhi Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra and daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra purchased land in Haryana via a Delhi-based real estate agent who also sold land to NRI businessman CC Thampi, the Enforcement Directorate had claimed. ED further informed about Vadra and Thampi having a “long and thick” relationship that extends to “common and business interests”.
The larger case revolves around a fugitive arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, who is being investigated by multiple agencies for money-laundering, violation of foreign exchange and black money laws, and the Official Secrets Act. He fled Bharat for the UK in 2016 and Thampi has been accused of covering for Bhandari in hiding the proceeds of crime, along with Sumit Chadha, a British national.
The latest charge sheet, filed in November and reviewed by HT on December 27, reveals the federal agency slapping allegations on the estate agent HL Pahwa, who sold properties to both Vadra and Thampi, received cash out of the books for the land purchase in Haryana, and that Vadra did not pay the full amount for the sale. Pahwa, in 2006, also sold agricultural land to Priyanka Gandhi and bought it back from her in 2010, the agency said.
However, it is noteworthy that Robert Vadra and Priyanka Gandhi have not been named as accused and the land transactions mentioned only draw a link between Thampi and Vadra.
The agency’s press release on December 26, which HT reported, mentioned Vadra in connection with the purchase of a property in London that is part of the probe. The charge sheet details the association between Vadra and Thampi and states, “During the investigation in this case, it has been found that a long and thick relationship exists between CC Thampi and Robert Vadra that extends not only a personal/cordial bond but also to common and similar business interests.”
When arrested in January 2020, Thampi ostensibly told ED that he knew Vadra for over 10 years and had met several times during Vadra’s visits to the UAE as well as in Delhi. ED has said that Thampi made use of the services of Pahwa to buy 486 acres of land from 2005 to 2008 in village Amipur in Faridabad, Haryana.
“It becomes necessary to mention that Robert Vadra also purchased three pieces of land measuring 334 kanals (40.08 acres) in Amipur from HL Pahwa from 2005-2006 and sold the same land to Pahwa in December 2010. Further, wife of Robert Vadra, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, also made a purchase of agricultural land measuring 40 kanal (5 acres) in village Amipur from Pahwa in April 2006 and sold the same land to Pahwa in February 2010,” the charge sheet said
Pahwa, as per ED, was receiving cash out of the books for the acquisition of land. “It is of notice that Robert Vadra did not pay the entire sale consideration to Pahwa,” as said by the agency, while adding that “investigation in this regard is still ongoing”. ED has further dug up details of other financial transactions between Vadra and Thampi. For instance, claims of Thampi purchasing a Land Cruiser car from Vadra for which payments were made through cheques from his NRE (non-resident external) account.
For the London property under probe, ED has claimed that Bhandari acquired it in December 2009 and was renovated using Robert Vadra’s funds. Vadra also had stayed in the property — 12, Bryanston Square — “three-four times”, ED said. “The common thread with regard to the said (London) property starting from the date of acquisition to its use was CC Thampi, Sumit Chadha and Robert Vadra,” it added.
ED has claimed since 2020 that the property of Vadra in question is worth 1.9 million pounds at the time and that Thampi played a crucial role in its purchase.
