Robert Vadra skips grilling by ED, cites ill-health
Vadra has denied the allegations of possessing illegal foreign assets and termed them a political witch hunt against him.
New Delhi: Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday skipped his scheduled appearance before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money-laundering case probe, citing his bad health.
Sources said Mr Vadra’s lawyers informed the investigating officer (IO) of the case that their “client is unwell and hence will be unable to join the probe related to allegations of money laundering to purchase assets abroad”. Mr Vadra’s lawyers said he may appear either on Wednesday or on a mutually acceptable date later this week. Earlier also Mr Vadra was questioned by the ED in this case in the national capital. He has already been asked by a Delhi court to cooperate in the probe being conducted by the central probe agency.
The ED case against Mr Vadra relates to allegations of money laundering in the purchase of a London-based property located at 12, Bryanston Square worth 1.9 million GBP (British pounds), which is allegedly owned by him. The agency had told the court that it has received information about various new properties in London which belong to Mr Vadra.
These include two houses, one worth 5 million GBP and the other valued at 4 million GBP, six other flats and more properties.
Mr Vadra has denied the allegations of possessing illegal foreign assets and termed them a political witch hunt against him. He said he was being “hounded and harassed” to subserve political ends.
Mr Vadra had similarly deposed before the ED twice in Jaipur in an another money-laundering case related to an alleged land scam in Bikaner.