BJP 'exposes' modus operandi behind Robert Vadra and alleged proxies' foreign properties ahead of ED questioning

The BJP levelled stunning claims against Robert Vadra on Wednesday ahead of his appearance before the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case relating to alleged possession of illegal foreign assets.

Hours after posters featuring Congress president Rahul Gandhi along with his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and brother-in-law Robert Vadra were seen outside the Congress headquarters in New Delhi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Dr Sambit Patra launched a scathing attack on the Gandhi-Vadra family while addressing a press briefing on Wednesday. The allegations also included numerous mentions and claims of involvement of Robert Vadra's aides Manoj Arora and Sanjay Bhandari against whom another ED probe is ongoing. 

Earlier on Wednesday, Republic TV had accessed crucial information about Robert Vadra's two aides and had even questioned Manoj Arora as well as Dubai-based CC Thampi on their alleged links with Robert Vadra.

The ED is scheduled to probe Robert Vadra about the London properties and money laundering case. An ED team consisting of four senior members is set to question Robert Vadra on links to Thampi, Sanjay Bhandari and Manoj Arora.

During the press briefing on Wednesday, Sambit Patra shed light on the alleged modus operandi by which the foreign properties are linked to Robert Vadra: 

Two kinds of kickbacks were taken by Robert Vadra. One is a petroleum deal during UPA 1 and the other is a defence deal because of which he got a huge kickback from which he bought a number of properties in London. BJP had earlier revealed that there was the property of Robert Vadra in London, which is under scrutiny currently. Now, the ED is looking into eight properties of Vadra in London and that is why is he's going to the ED.

A petroleum deal was signed during UPA 1 in 2009 and the kickbacks from the deal went to a company named Syntec International - which belongs to Robert's Vadra's right hand and arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. This Syntac company bought a house worth Rs 1.9 million pounds in London by a company named Vortex company. Then some shares were transferred from Vortex company to company named Skylight FZE. 

In this whole procedure, a Dubai-based businessman named CC Thampi was involved. In fact, ED was also investigating against CC Thampi - who was a close aide to Robert Vadra and Sanjay Bhandari - in the Rs 1000 crore FEMA violation case.

BJP, in its press briefing, alleged that besides the money laundering case - in connection of which Vadra will be appearing in front of the ED - Robert Vadra has links to a defence deal for the procurement of aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF). He quoted an e-mail trail, alleging that Vadra's company received kickbacks from various companies and turned the black money into white.

The money from the petroleum deal went directly into the accounts of Skylight company and it was in Dirhams (Dubai's currency) in 2010. Robert Vadra converted his black money into white money (round-tripping) through the medium of Syntac company. 

Another property in the Malcha Marg in Delhi which is owned by one Jagdish Sharma, who is a special aide of Robert Vadra- and he is also being questioned by the ED. This Malcha Marg property was sold in 2009 to MRMGM company - which was headed by Guido Haschke till 2008 - who is involved in the Agusta Westland case. He was the central figure in the Agusta Westland case.

Another kickback from the Defence deal. There have been email exchanges between Sumit Chadda Sanjay Bhandari's aide) and Manoj Arora (who is out on bail) in Exon Real Estate. Offset India Solutions owned by Sanjay Bhandari also worked as the middleman in many defence deals. CBI was probing Sanjay Bhandari in Pilatus aircraft deal, during which important defence documents related to various other deals were found from Bhandari's residence. 

Dr. Sambit Patra also attacked the Gandhi-Vadra family on the posters displayed outside the Congress office in Delhi, terming Congress chief Rahul Gandhi as "Criminal No 1" and Robert Vadra as "Criminal No. 2".

In the morning, when I switched on the television I saw posters of two criminals in front of Congress office. Both of them are out on bail. They duped the nation of Rs 5,000 crore in the National Herald case and not payment Rs 600 crore income tax - Rahul Gandhi becomes the criminal number 1. In the same poster, criminal number 2 - who is going to be presented in front of the ED - Robert Vadra. He is to be presented in front of the ED in the money-laundering case. 

READ: Robert Vadra May Appear Before ED In Money Laundering Case. LIVE UPDATES

Meanwhile, a Delhi court has directed Robert Vadra to cooperate with the ED in the alleged money laundering case of purchase of several London-based properties, after he approached the court seeking anticipatory bail.