The Enforcement Directorate (ED) was abuzz with activity on Thursday with two high-profile politically-linked persons, Robert Vadra and Karti Chidambaram, appearing before the agency for questioning in separate money-laundering investigations being conducted against them.
First to arrive at the ED’s Jamnagar House office in central Delhi was Karti, son of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, around 11 am. About 25 minutes later, Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s brother-in-law Vadra arrived at the office for quetioning in a money-laundering case, in which he was confronted with the allegations of carrying out illegal transactions to purchase assets in the UK.
In the meanwhile, sources said former Finance Minister P Chidambaram is likely to appear before ED on Friday.
On Wednesday, Vadra was accompanied to the ED office by his wife and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
This is the first time Vadra is appearing before any probe agency in connection with alleged dubious financial dealings.
After two hours of questioning, he left for lunch and returned about an hour later to resume the session.
Officials said Vadra was required to rejoin the probe on Thursday as he needed to answer more questions on allegedly acquiring immovable assets in United Kingdom. Vadra has also shared documents with the investigating officer of the case and has assured some more will be provided as and when he gets them, the sources said. He was questioned on Wednesday for six hours on how he laundered money to purchase properties across UK.
The agency has stated that Vadra owns nine properties in the UK bought illegally through kickbacks received in petroleum deals when the UPA Government was in power. The properties were purchased between 2005 and 2010.
The total value of these properties is around 12 million pounds, more than Rs 110 crore. The agency confronted Vadra with emails allegedly between him and another accused arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari and his London-based relative Sumit Chadha. The email exchanges took place between June 2009 and October 2010. The e-mails stated are about the 12, Bryanston Square mansion for which Sumit Chadha asks for funds for renovation.
The response from Vadra said, “Will look into it in the morning and let Manoj sort it out”. Later Manoj Arora, a former employee of Skylight Hospitality, a firm linked to Vadra was asked interact with Chadha. The financial probing agency is trying to find that the Bryanston Square mansion, purchased in 2009, was sold in 2010 for the same amount, despite an additional expense of approximately 65,900 pounds that is Rs. 60.85 lakh for its renovation.
The money was transferred to Santech International, FZC, a company based in UAE. Santech then purchased the 12 Bryanstone Square mansion from Vortex, a private holding. Later, Vortex shares were transferred to Skylight Investment, FZE, which is led by NRI businessman C Thampi.
Besides the Bryanston Square mansion, two more properties are worth 4 million pounds that is around Rs 37.42 crore and 5 million pounds that is around Rs 46.77 crore. The agency also stated that he also owns six other flats and they are trying to find from where he got money and who are other players.
His role in money laundering was established during the probe against Bhandari by the Income Tax Department and a money laundering case has been filed against him.
The ED sleuths also questioned Karti, son of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, on Thursday in INX Media money laundering case. He remained evasive most of the time. He was confronted with the incrementing documents the agency recovered during various raids,” said ED officials. Karti and his father P Chidambaram have been questioned on several occasions in the case by the