Congress toes line of 'private citizen' Robert Vadra over Gurugram land case FIR and calls it a stunt. Read here

The Congress party has thrown its lot in behind 'private citizen' Robert Vadra with regards to the FIR that was filed against Rahul Gandhi's brother-in-law in a case pertaining to a Gurugram land deal.

Speaking to reporters, senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge reiterated Vadra's own defence, claiming that the crackdown was only an election stunt.

"This is an election stunt. Polls are coming so they want to divert the issues of lynching, high petrol prices, Rafale, Rapes... That's why this sort of thing is happening", Kharge, the Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha, said.

Stating his opinion on where the case would go, Kharge added, 'the Law will take its own course. It's an old case. During the election period they're highlighting it. We're highlighting Rafale, so in response, they're doing this'.

On Saturday, Republic TV had learnt that an FIR had been filed against Robert Vadra, by complainant Surender Sharma, a resident of Haryana's Mewat, concerning a 3.5-acre plot, naming Vadra, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, DLF Company Gugurgam, and Onkareshwar Properties Gurugram. 

The case was registered under various sections of the IPC, including sections regarding criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, forgery for the purpose of cheating;  sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, at the Khedki Daula police station. 

As per the FIR, 'this land was given as bribe by m/s Onkareshwar Properties to Skylight Hospitality without any payment so that Skylight Hospitality's director Robert Vadra gets m/s Onkareshwar Properties a housing license in the village using his influence with the town and country planning minister.'

Speaking to Republic TV following the development, Rajesh Kumar, DCP Manesar, confirmed that the land in question was eventually sold to DLF, adding that the allegation is that "it's a quid pro quo matter".

The matter dates back to February 2008 when Vadra had purchased 3.5 acres land in Shikohpur Village in Manesar for Rs 7.5 crore. The plot was then allegedly mutated in favour of Vadra's firm Sky Light Hospitality, and weeks later, an approval for development license was applied for and allegedly accepted by the then Hooda-led government. Following this, in June of the same year, Vadra and DLF allegedly entered into an agreement for the sale of the same parcel of land Rs. 58 crore - almost 7.7 times the cost. 

After the FIR was filed, Vadra also invoked 'election season', saying that it was an attempt to divert the from real people's issues like increase in oil prices to his 'decade old issue'. 

While the diversion excuse hasn't cut much mustard in terms of the charges against Vadra, questions have been raised regarding why it took so long.