New Delhi, May 14: Businessman Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Sonia Gandhi, has not received immediate relief from the Delhi High Court regarding a money laundering case linked to a land deal in Shikohpur village, Gurugram, from 2008.
A single-judge bench led by Justice Manoj Jain was hearing Vadra’s petition challenging an order from the Rouse Avenue Court. This order had acknowledged a complaint from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), summoning Vadra and eight others.
During the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Vadra, argued that certain offenses under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act were retroactively included in the PMLA schedule after the alleged crimes occurred between 2008 and 2012.
He contended that the issue of jurisdiction and the retroactive application of provisions was raised before the trial court but was not considered.
In opposition, ED lawyer Zoheb Hussain claimed that Vadra’s petition contained false statements. Hussain argued that the petition should be dismissed with a penalty, asserting that he had thoroughly examined all relevant laws and that the claims made were entirely false. He noted that Section 467 of the IPC was present in its original form in the PMLA schedule, indicating that false and misleading statements had been made.
After hearing arguments from both Vadra and the ED, the Delhi High Court postponed the next hearing to May 18. Justice Jain instructed, “Mr. Singhvi, please come prepared on this aspect on Monday, as it is your main argument. We will hear you then.”
Earlier, on April 15, the Rouse Avenue Court had acknowledged the ED’s prosecution complaint and summoned Vadra and eight others, directing them to appear before the court on May 16.
Thus, Robert Vadra must comply with the summons and present himself before the trial court on the specified date.
The ED has alleged that Vadra’s company, Skylight Hospitality Private Limited, purchased approximately 3.5 acres of land in Shikohpur village from Omkareshwar Properties Private Limited for ₹7.5 crore in February 2008, despite having limited capital. According to the investigating agency, no actual payment was made, and the sale deed contained false statements, including references to a check that was allegedly never issued or cashed.
Furthermore, the ED claims that the sale deed undervalued the land, resulting in stamp duty evasion, which constitutes an offense under Section 423 of the IPC. In its prosecution complaint, the ED identified ₹58 crore as proceeds of crime and temporarily attached 43 properties valued at ₹38.69 crore.
My name is Narendra Jijhontiya. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including TECHNOLOGY, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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