Saturday, August 2

Rouse Avenue Court to hear ED charge sheet in Robert Vadra money laundering case

New Delhi, Aug 2 (IANS) The Rouse Avenue Court will hear the matter of taking cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) charge sheet in the high-profile money laundering case linked to businessman Robert Vadra, husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday.

The court may also issue a formal notice to Vadra during the proceedings.

The charge sheet, which pertains to an alleged illegal land deal in Shikohpur village, Gurugram, accuses Vadra and his company M/s Sky Light Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. of purchasing 3.53 acres of land through fraudulent means. The ED has already attached 43 properties allegedly linked to Vadra and his firm, worth a total of Rs 37.64 crore, as part of the ongoing investigation.

The case dates back to a 2008 FIR filed by Gurugram Police, which alleged that Vadra’s company purchased land from M/s Onkareshwar Properties Pvt. Ltd. for Rs 7.5 crore using a false declaration.

Just a few years later, in September 2012, Sky Light Hospitality sold the same land to real estate giant DLF Ltd. for Rs 58 crore, raising serious questions about the nature and legality of the transaction.

The controversy deepened when Ashok Khemka, then Director General of Land Consolidation and Land Records and Inspector-General of Registration in Haryana, cancelled the land mutation, declaring the transaction violative of state regulations. His actions at the time sparked a political firestorm and led to a prolonged legal and administrative scrutiny of land dealings involving political figures.

Earlier on July 18, 2025, the Rouse Avenue Court had taken note of the ED’s charge sheet and listed the matter for hearing.

Presiding Special Judge Sushant Changotra had directed the court record keeper to verify all accompanying documents and provide a detailed report.

The Enforcement Directorate is likely to press for further legal action in the hearing, potentially including the summoning of Vadra for questioning based on the charge sheet’s findings.

Opposition parties have accused the government of using investigative agencies for political purposes, while the ED maintains it is pursuing the case based on documentary evidence and financial trails.

–IANS

rs/rad