New Delhi:
Day after marathon grilling, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s brother-in-law Robert Vadra is being quizzed by the Enforcement Directorate officials regarding illegal foreign assets. The ED claims that a key document shows Vadra’s links to the London property. News Nation has a copy of this document. According to the ED officials, the mail shows suspicious transaction related to the London property.
On Wednesday, Vadra, the son-in-law of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was questioned by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in New Delhi for six hours in its money laundering probe into alleged possession of illegal foreign assets, days after he was directed by a city court to appear before the central probe agency. Vadra's wife Priyanka Gandhi accompanied him in a white Toyota Land Cruiser and dropped him outside the ED's office in Jamnagar House, in a move seen as sending a political message to Congress' opponents ahead of Lok Sabha polls. Shortly after, Priyanka took charge as AICC general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh East, a fortnight after her formal induction into the Congress party on January 23.
"He is my husband, he is my family...I support my family," Priyanka said in a show of support to Vadra, who returned from London earlier in the day.
Priyanka was asked by newsmen at the All India Congress Committee(AICC) headquarters whether she was sending any message by dropping her husband at the ED office for questioning. Asked if it was a political vendetta, she said everyone knows why this is being done.It is for the first time that Vadra, son-in-law of Sonia Gandhi, is appearing before any probe agency in connection with alleged criminal charges of dubious financial dealings.
After jostling with a posse of assembled media persons, Vadra entered the ED office at around 3:47 pm, minutes after a team of his lawyers reached the premises. He then signed the attendance register before being taken in for questioning.Vadra has denied allegations of possessing illegal foreign assets and termed them a political witch hunt against him. Vadra has alleged he was being "hounded and harassed" to subserve political ends.Sources said Vadra has been asked that if he does not know about the property, then tell the same in writing. Vadra has been asked that he doesn't know arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, then tell this in writing.
Vadra has also been warned if he makes a wrong statement, he may have to face legal proceedings, sources said. Vadra told the ED officials that he has not purchased the property and calls himself innocent. "I do not remember much about the email and I do not know much about Sanjay Bhandari", says Vadra. The ED then showed the mails and said he had sent the mails to Bhandari.
Here are some of the questions ED officials asked Robert Vadra on Wednesday:
1. Is London's 12 Brighton Squire property yours?
2. What’s your connection with the London property, why mails were sent to you regarding its renovation?
3. Is it right that the floor plan of this property was sent to you? In 2010, when these mails were coming to you, this property was with the arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. Then why did the email come to you? Is this property linked to you?
4. A fund was also sought to build a property from you, and in response, you also responded to Sumit Chadda who had sent the mail. You had assured him for the fund, why were you arranging for the fund?
5. Why was the copy of every email sent to you was given to Sanjay Bhandari?
6. How do you know Sanjay Bhandari and Sumit Chadda?
7. Do you know the Indian national CC Thampi, who lives in Dubai, and who bought this property from Sanjay Bhandari?
