Robert Vadra Faces ED Interrogation Again: What’s Behind the Controversial Land Deal?
ED Questions Robert Vadra in Land Deal Case
New Delhi: Robert Vadra, the businessman and brother-in-law of Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was interrogated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the second day in a row on Wednesday. The questioning lasted approximately five hours and is part of an investigation into a money laundering case linked to a land deal from 2008 in Haryana.
The 56-year-old Vadra described the ED's actions as politically motivated, asserting that the public has lost faith in investigative agencies.
Accompanied by his wife, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a Congress MP from Wayanad, he arrived at the ED office around 11 AM. The couple shared a brief embrace before he entered the building.
After a short lunch break at home, Vadra returned for further questioning, which concluded after 6 PM. Priyanka Gandhi remained in the visitors' area of the agency's office, known as 'Pravartan Bhawan', during the entire session.
He is scheduled to return for additional questioning on Thursday.
Sources indicate that Vadra faced around a dozen inquiries during his nearly ten hours at the ED over the two days. His statements were recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Vadra maintained that he has consistently cooperated with investigators and provided numerous documents, emphasizing the need to resolve cases that are decades old.
In a statement to the media, he claimed that his connection to the Gandhi family has made him a target for these investigations, suggesting that the situation would differ if he were affiliated with the BJP.
The investigation pertains to a land transaction in Manesar-Shikohpur (now sector 83) in Gurugram, Haryana. In February 2008, Vadra's company, Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd, purchased 3.5 acres of land from Onkareshwar Properties for Rs 7.5 crore.
At that time, the Congress government, led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda, was in power. Four years later, in September 2012, the land was sold to DLF for Rs 58 crore.
The deal became controversial in October 2012 when IAS officer Ashok Khemka canceled the mutation, citing violations of the state consolidation Act and related procedures.
The BJP, then in opposition, labeled the case as an example of corruption and nepotism, referencing Vadra's ties to the Congress leadership.
In 2018, Haryana Police filed an FIR to investigate the land deal.
Vadra has previously been questioned multiple times by the ED regarding two separate money laundering cases.