Delhi court issues notice to Robert Vadra in money laundering case; next hearing on Aug 28

New Delhi, Aug 2 (IANS) A Delhi court on Saturday issued a notice to businessman Robert Vadra, husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in connection with the Shikohpur land deal case.

The Rouse Avenue Court took cognisance of the charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the high-profile money laundering case and issued notices to a total of 11 individuals, including Vadra.

Vadra's argument will be presented on August 28, which is also the date set for the next hearing in the matter.

The ED has filed a charge sheet against Vadra and ten others in a case involving the alleged purchase of 3.53 acres of land in Shikohpur village, Gurugram, through alleged fraudulent means.

The investigating agency claims that the proceeds of crime were routed through multiple companies controlled by Vadra. As part of the investigation, the ED has already attached 43 properties linked to Vadra and his company, M/s Sky Light Hospitality Pvt. Ltd., worth a total of Rs 37.64 crore.

The origins of the case trace back to a 2008 FIR filed by the Gurugram Police, which alleged that Vadra's company had purchased land from M/s Onkareshwar Properties Pvt. Ltd. for Rs 7.5 crore allegedly using a false declaration.

In 2012, the same parcel of land was sold to DLF Ltd., a leading real estate firm, for Rs 58 crore, raising concerns over the legality and nature of the transaction.

The controversy intensified when Ashok Khemka, then Director General of Land Consolidation and Land Records and Inspector-General of Registration in Haryana, cancelled the land mutation, citing violations of state regulations.

His decision triggered a political storm and prompted a prolonged phase of legal and administrative scrutiny over land deals involving political figures.

--IANS

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