Businessman Robert Vadra arrives at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office for questioning in connection with a money laundering case.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Robert Vadra, the son-in-law of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, allegedly 'renovated and stayed' at a property in London that was acquired from 'proceeds of crime' in a money laundering case linked to fugitive-middleman Sanjay Bhandari, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has claimed in a court.
The ED and CBI are investigating Bhandari on charges of money laundering and tax evasion, who has been a middleman in several arms deals in the country. Bhandari is battling extradition from the United Kingdom to India.
The ED probe was on the basis of searches as well as a prosecution complaint filed by the Income Tax Department under Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015.
Vadra has been questioned by the agency earlier. He has denied any wrongdoing.
In a statement on Tuesday, the ED said it has filed a supplementary chargesheet against CC Thampi, an NRI businessman who is now on bail, and a UK national Sumit Chadha on December 21, which has been taken cognizance by the court the next day. Thampi, who was arrested in January 2020, is a "close associate" of Vadra, according to the agency.
It said the investigation showed that Bhandari allegedly held 'various undisclosed' foreign income and assets, including properties at No 12, Bryanston Square, London and 6, Grosvenor Hill, London.
"These assets are proceeds of crime... Thampi and Sumit Chadha have been found to be involved in the concealment and use of these proceeds of crime," the statement claimed.
"The ED investigation further revealed that CC Thampi is a close associate of Robert Vadra. Robert Vadra not only renovated the aforesaid property at 12, Bryanston Square, London through Sumit Chadha but also stayed in the same. Further, Robert Vadra as well as CC Thampi purchased a huge chunk of land at Faridabad and had financial transactions with each other," it said.
The ED had on 1 June, 2020 filed a case against Bhandari, his three offshore entities, Sanjeev Kapoor and Anirudh Wadhwa. Bhandari was later declared a 'Proclaimed Person'. Properties worth Rs. 26.55 crore belonging to Bhandari held in India were attached earlier.