The Enforcement Directorate has conducted searches in connection with the money-laundering investigation into an alleged case of land grab at Bikaner in Rajasthan, involving a company purportedly linked to Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.
According to the agency, the searches were carried out at eight places in Bikaner and Delhi on Thursday. Some persons were rounded up for questioning and their statements recorded.
18 FIRs filed in 2014
In September last year, the Directorate registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act on the basis of 18 FIRs registered by the State police in August 2014. Two months later, the agency searched the premises of the suspects and their offices. After the ED registered the case, Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed refuted the charges against Mr. Vadra, stating: “He [Vadra] has done no wrong. No case is pending against him. This is sheer political vendetta.”
The case is related to the acquisition of about 1,400 acres on the basis of forged revenue records and its sale to seven companies, including one allegedly associated with Mr. Vadra, between 2009 and 2011.
