Vadra grilled for 8 hours, told to return tomorrow

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, February 9

Robert Vadra, husband of AICC general secretary in-charge of Eastern UP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, was on Saturday questioned for about eight hours by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a probe into allegations of money laundering to purchase assets abroad.

Vadra, who appeared before the ED for the third consecutive day, is understood to have been confronted with documentary evidences pertaining to his association with absconding arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari.

He arrived at the agency’s office at Jamnagar House here around 10.45 am and has reportedly been asked to come again on Monday as the Investigating Officer (IO) required him to answer more questions in connection with the case. Vadra was questioned for five-and-a-half hours on February 6 and for nine hours on February 7.

Sources in the agency said today the investigators put to Vadra questions around his association with Bhandari and asked as to why the arms dealer had bought tickets for his travel to France and confronted him with documentary evidence.

During the course of questioning today, Vadra shared a few documents with the investigating officer, who in turn asked him to submit some more papers, which Vadra assured to provide after receiving, sources said.

The ED case against Vadra relates to allegations of money laundering in the purchase of a London-based property located at 12, Bryanston Square worth 1.9 million GBP (British pounds), which is allegedly owned by him.

The agency has told a Delhi court that it has received information about various new properties in London, which belong to Vadra. These include two houses, one worth 5 million GBP and the other valued at 4 million GBP, six other flats and more properties.