Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been mentioned in a chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with its probe into an allegedly dubious purchase of land in Haryana from a Delhi-based real estate agent, who was also hired by CC Thampi, an aide of fugitive arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, and is also a close associate of Priyanka’s husband Robert Vadra. The chargesheet also explains in detail the close association between Robert and Thampi. While Robert’s name has surfaced in the chargesheet filed against Thampi and Sumit Chadha, who are the co-accused in the money laundering case against Bhandari, it is Priyanka’s mention which is likely to provide a lot of political gunpowder to the BJP ahead of the General Election. However, neither Priyanka nor Robert have been listed as accused in the matter.
The chargesheet says, “Robert Vadra purchased three pieces of land measuring 40.8 acres at Amipur village in Faridabad district of Haryana from Delhi-based real estate agent HL Pahwa in 2005-2006 and sold the same land to Pahwa in December 2010. Further Priyanka Gandhi also purchased agricultural land measuring 5 acres in Amipur village from Pahwa in April 2006 and sold it back to him in February 2010. Pahwa was receiving cash off the books. It was also noticed that Robert did not pay the entire sale consideration to Pahwa. The investigation in this regard is underway.”
Incidentally, the chargesheet says that “during the course of investigation, it has been found that a long and thick relationship exists between Thampi and Robert Vadra. Not only a personal/cordial bond, but common and similar business interests have also been found between them…. In his statement recorded on June 19, 2019, Thampi said he knew Robert for the last 10 years and he (Robert) was initially introduced to him by Madhavan, PA to Sonia Gandhi.
Source: TNS