Income Tax Investigation Wing on Wednesday summoned controversial arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari to appear before it on Monday in connection with an ongoing probe into the huge illegal wealth accumulated by him in India and abroad.
The probe agency has also sent communications to their counterparts in the UK, Dubai and the British Virgin Island (BVI), where Bhandari was found to have amassed properties for the past six years. The arms dealer has also floated more than 50 shell companies in the BVI, Dubai and Panama, sources said, adding that these details were never disclosed in Bhandari’s annual returns or the Registrar of Companies.
Bhandari’s association with Robert Vadra has created massive political uproar amid allegations that he acquired benami property in london for Vadra. In addition, the controversial arms dealer has also reportedly purchased properties in Jhumeria in Dubai.
Reports said that the arms dealer had admitted before I-T department about his association with Vadra and some email exchanges with him. This came after the I-T sleuths raided his offices and residential premise on April 26 this year. The raid helped the investigators find his maze of companies registered in BVI and Panama.
Bhandari entered into arms brokering field in 2007. He started a company called Offset India Solutions with just one lakh rupees capital.
Bhandari was involved in Rafale deal as well as in the purchase of trainer aircraft by the Indian Air Force. After the Intelligence Bureau (IB) found that he was in regular touch with Vadra and some other influential persons, including former Coal Minister SP Jaisawal, the IB dispatched a report alerting the PMO about it sometime in 2012. However, nothing was done to probe his link with Vadra.
Sources said the ED is probing into the money laundering and forex violations by Bhandari and his shell companies.
Soon after Vadra’s name cropped up citing, Vadra’s relative and Congress spokesperson Shehzad Poonawallah wrote to CBI and ED to probe Bhandari’s relations with BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh.
Poonawallah alleged that Singh made several calls to Bhandari. Reacting to allegations, Singh said he knew the arms dealer for the past 20 years as a family friend.
“It’s a social relationship and friendship, certainly not a business relationship. Since the Congress has asked for an investigation into this, I must say that I have absolutely no issues with it. Please go ahead and carry out an investigation... I have nothing to hide. As far as 450-call allegation goes — I’m sorry that is completely incorrect, said Singh.