Republic accesses crucial probe details of link between Thampi, Vadra and Sanjay Bhandari

The arrest of NRI businessman CC Thampi by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) would bring in more trouble for Robert Vadra and arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. Republic TV has accessed exclusive information about the probe carried out by the agency.

The agency has made a big revelation about the link between Thampi, Bhandari and Vadra. “During the course of the investigation under the provisions of PMLA, the role of CC Thampi also surfaced and it was noticed that Bhandari along with co-conspirators Robert Vadra and Thampi evolved a scheme of money laundering by way of transferring the proceeds of crime multiple times from one individual to another to make the investigation of the trial arduous and difficult,” said a source within the agency.

The agency has told the court that although the property, 12 Bryanston UK, was legally owned by Bhandari during December 2009 to June 2010 but as per evidence collected, it emerged that the property was beneficially owned by Vadra through Thampi.

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ON SANJAY BHANDARI:

A search was conducted at the premises of Sanjay Bhandari by IT authorities in April 2016. Searches resulted in the recovery of documents including property at 12 Bryanston Square Ellertob House by Sanjay Bhandari. The investigation was initiated under PMLA as the offence of willful attempt to evade any tax, penalty or interest referred in section 51 of Black Money Act.

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INVESTIGATION FINDINGS:

1. From the complaint filed under Black Money Act, it was noticed that the US $4.9 M was received on 13 June 2008 in the undisclosed bank accounts of Santech International FZC in Dubai, a company owned by Bhandari.
2. A company SkyLite Investment was floated in April 2009 by Thampi for the purpose of acquiring immovable assets. No actual business was conducted in this company.
3. Bhandari identified a property, Villa D-44 Palm Jumeriah Dubai, to be purchased through Sky Lite Investment FZE for Arab Emirates Dirham 8.6 Million in Nov 2009.

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4. This transaction did not materialise but the fact remains that this transaction about the property to be purchased in the name of SkyLite Investment of Thampi was monitored by Bhandari as the draft MoU for purchase was sent by the buyers to Bhandari and not to Sky Lite Investments.
5. After this deal did not materialise, Bhandari identified and purchased London property by acquiring 100 per cent share of Vortex Management Holdings the British Virgin Islands-based company by making payment from the account of Santech International FZC, Bhandari company.

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