ED tightens noose around Vadra in laundering case

New Delhi: The noose around Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, seems to have tightened further with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issuing fresh summons to him on Wednesday in connection with a money laundering case, that is linked to purchase of alleged illegal assets abroad. Vadra has been asked to appear before the ED’s investigating officer of the case at around 10:30 am at the agency’s office here on Thursday.

The ED moved to the court only last week to seek cancellation of the anticipatory bail given to Vadra in this case. The Delhi high court had then issued notice to him seeking his response.

The ED, which had grilled Vadra over a dozen times in this case, had told the Delhi HC that it required Vadra’s custody as he was not cooperating in the investigation and the trial court had not discussed the gravity of the offence in its order that gave relief to Vadra, husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi.

The Enforcement Directorate case against Vadra relates to allegations of money laundering in the purchase of a London-based property located at 12, Bryanston Square that is worth 1.9 million british pounds, that is allegedly owned by him. The agency had told a Delhi court that it has received information about various new properties in London which belong to Vadra.

These include two houses, one worth 5 million GBP and the other valued at 4 million GBP, six other flats and more properties. 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.