Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s name has been mentioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a chargesheet in connection with a money laundering case.
The ED named Priyanka Gandhi by mentioning her role in purchasing agricultural land measuring 40 kanal (five acres) in Haryana’s Faridabad from a Delhi-based real estate agent HL Pahwa in 2006 and selling the same land to him in February 2010, ANI reported.
Also Read: ED arrests 3 more in money laundering case against Vivo-India, others
This is the same agent who also sold land to NRI businessman CC Thampi.
Though ED has named Robert Vadra in earlier chargesheets related to the case as a close aide of Thampi, this is the first time that Priyanka Gandhi has been mentioned in an official document submitted to court. Additionally, Robert Vadra and Priyanka Gandhi have not been named as accused, and the land transactions have been mentioned to draw a link between Thampi and Vadra.
In the fresh chargesheet, it is mentioned that Pahwa was receiving cash out of the books for the acquisition of land. “It was also noticed that Robert Vadra did not pay the entire sale consideration to Pahwa.”
Also Read: Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren summoned by ED for 6th time in money-laundering case, asked to appear on Tuesday
The ED investigation in this regard is still ongoing. However, the copy of “the ledger accounts in the books of Pahwa reflecting the above-mentioned transactions was taken on record vide letter dated November 17, 2023.”
“It is submitted that Robert Vadra incorporated entities with the names of Sky Light Hospitality Pvt Ltd and Sky Light Realty Pvt Ltd in India on November 1, 2007 and November 16, 2007, respectively. The same have been downloaded from the website of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Whereas, an entity named Sky Lite Investment FZE in UAE was incorporated on April 1, 2009, with CC Thampi as its sole shareholder,” mentions the chargesheet.
“During the course of investigation of Thampi and his Indian entities in the case bearing no. T-3/219/HQ/2015 being investigation under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) it has been found that Thampi purchased land 486 actes (approx.) from 2005 to 2008 in village Amipur in Haryana’s Faridabad district through HL Pahwa, Delhi-NCR based real estate agent.”
It is also mentioned in the chargesheet that Robert Vadra incorporated an entity in India with the name Blve Breeze Trading Pvt Ltd on November 1, 2007, which was later converted into LLP.
Also Read: ED raids AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan’s premises in money laundering probe
“During the course of investigation in another PMLA case (bearing fo. ECIR/OG/HIU2018) being investigated against Robert Vadra, his entity Sky Light Hospitality Pvt Ltd, and others, it has been found that one Mahesh Nagar, resident of Delhi-NCR, represented various entities of Robert Vadra at the time of purchase and sale of various pieces of land in Delhi-NCR and Bikaner, Rajasthan,” it pointed.
In a statement, the ED on Tuesday had also mentioned Robert Vadra in connection with the purchase of a property in London that is part of the probe.
Detailing the association between Vadra and Thampi, the chargesheet states, “During the course of investigation in this case, it is found that a long and thick relationship exists between CC Thampi and Robert Vadra. Not only a personal/cordial bond but common and similar business interests are also found between them.”
Thampi, arrested in January 2020, ostensibly told ED that he had known Vadra for over 10 years and that they met several times during Vadra’s visits to the UAE as well as in Delhi.
(With inputs from ANI)