Robert Vadra appears before ED for 5th time in PMLA case

New Delhi: Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, on Friday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the fifth time in connection with a money-laundering case pertaining to purchase of the alleged illegal assets abroad.

According to sources Mr Vadra reached the agency’s office at Jamnagar House in the national capital at around 11 am. He has been grilled in this case four times in the past, the last being February 20.

Sources said the agency is confronting Vadra with documents and statements of other accused being investigated in the case and his statement is being recorded under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

During the last session, the businessman had told the investigating officer (IO) of the case that he was not well and hence, the recording of his statement was discontinued, sources had said. Mr Vadra’s appearance before the ED is related to a criminal complaint related to allegations of money laundering to purchase assets abroad, in an alleged illegal manner. He has been questioned by the ED sleuths in this case for about 26 hours over four days of deposition earlier this month. He has been asked by a Delhi court to cooperate in the probe being conducted by the central probe agency.

The ED case against Vadra relates to allegations of money laundering in the purchase of a London-based property, located at 12, Bryanston Square and worth 1.9 million pounds, which is allegedly owned by the businessman in a “benami” way. The agency had told the court that it had received information about various new properties in London that belonged to Mr Vadra.

These include two houses — one worth 5 million pounds and the other valued at 4 million pounds — six flats and other assets. Vadra has denied the allegation of possessing illegal foreign assets and termed it a political witch-hunt against him. He has said he is being “hounded and harassed” to subserve political ends.