ED issues fresh summon to Robert Vadra; asks him to join probe on Thursday

The ED has issued a fresh summon to Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, to appear before it Thursday in connection with a money laundering case linked to purchase of alleged illegal assets abroad, officials said.

They said Vadra has been asked to depose before the investigating officer of the case at around 10:30 AM at the agency's office here.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) only last week moved a court here seeking cancellation of the anticipatory bail given to Vadra in this case and the Delhi High Court had then issued notice to him seeking his response.

The ED, which had grilled Vadra over a dozen times in this case, had told the Delhi HC that it required Vadra's custody as he was not cooperating in the investigation and the trial court had not discussed the gravity of the offence in its order that gave relief to Vadra, husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi.

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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 had 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.

Vadra has denied the allegations of possessing illegal foreign assets and termed them a political witch hunt against him. He said he was being "hounded and harassed" to subserve political ends.

Earlier on Sunday, Republic TV has learnt that Robert Vadra had planned to travel abroad ahead of his court hearing in the money laundering case in which he is being probed.

A day after the 2019 Lok Sabha election exit polls projected that the Congress would suffer a heavy defeat, Robert Vadra had filed an application seeking permission to travel abroad. However, he insisted on keeping his travel plans a secret, alleging a threat to his life. Vadra submitted his travel itinerary to the court in a sealed envelope, Republic TV has learnt. 

(With PTI inputs) 

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