Robert Vadra, mother appear before ED in Jaipur in land deal case

Yash Goyal
Jaipur, February 12

In a suspected money laundering case related to a land deal of Bikaner, businessman Robert Vadra and mother Maureen on Tuesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate’s Regional Office here under unprecedented security.

ED officers started interrogating them in the morning, sources said. 

Vadra, his mother, and wife Priyanka Gandhi, who arrived here on Monday, are staying at Rammahal Palace hotel.

Only Vadra and his mother arrived in a high-security cover surrounding the building at 10.30 am. 

A number of posters were displayed en route in which Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi were shown walking and a message read: Kattar Soch Nahin, Yuva Josh. While small-size posters, probably by the rival BJP, read: Congress Bhagao, Desh Bachao. 

Scores of youths were seen outside the main entry gate shouting slogans in favour of the Congress party. 

Vadra, who landed at the Jaipur airport on Monday, has complied with the Rajasthan High Court order to appear before the ED with his mother, who is a partner in Skyline Hospitality Limited.  

On January 21, the Rajasthan High Court had directed Vadra and his partners in Skyline Hospitality Limited, to appear before the ED on February 12.

The ED had initiated an inquiry against the owner and partners of Skylight Hospitality Limited in a complaint of money laundering against the company. 

Govt 'vindictive', harassing my 75-yr-old mother: Vadra

In a Facebook post, Robert Vadra alleged the Modi government was being "vindictive" and was harassing his 75-year-old mother as elections were approaching.

Vadra asked as to why the government took four years and eight months in calling him for questioning, a month before campaigning begins for the general elections.

"Do they think people in India do not view it as an election gimmick?" he said in a Facebook post.

His outburst in the Facebook post came just before he and his mother Maureen appeared before the Enforcement Directorate at its zonal office in Jaipur in connection with a probe into an alleged land scam in the Rajasthan's border town of Bikaner. AICC general secretary and his wife Priyanka Gandhi accompanied them to the ED office. — With PTI inputs