ED Names Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra in Charge Sheet in PMLA Case, Opposition Cries Foul
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday named Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi in its charge sheet mentioning her role of purchasing an agricultural land measuring 40 kanal (five acres) in Haryana’s Faridabad from a Delhi-based real estate agent HL Pahwa in 2006 and sold the same land to him in February, 2010.
In the charge sheet, the ED said the land was purchased in Amipur village in Faridabad from Pahwa– the agent with whom Priyanka’s husband Robert Vadra also purchased three pieces of land measuring 334 kanals (40.08 acres) in Amipur village from 2005-2006 and sold the same land to him in December, 2010.
Enforcement Directorate (ED) has named Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in its charge sheet mentioning her role in purchasing agricultural land measuring 40 kanal (five acres) in Haryana’s Faridabad from a Delhi-based real estate agent HL Pahwa in 2006 and selling the same… pic.twitter.com/L5zU9XbkKy
— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2023
The agent is the same person who also sold land to NRI businessman CC Thampi. The larger case involves fugitive arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, who is under investigation by multiple agencies for money-laundering, violation of foreign exchange and black money laws, and the Official Secrets Act. He fled India for the UK in 2016. Thampi has been accused of facilitating Bhandari to hide proceeds of crime, along with Sumit Chadha, a British national.
Earlier, the ED had named Robert Vadra in its charge sheet related to the case as an alleged close aide of Thampi.
Reacting to the development, AAP chief National Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar says, “We have been seeing that ED is continuously taking actions against the opposition leaders and our leaders are in jail. The law of ‘guilty until proven innocent’ applies to the opposition, whereas the law of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ applies to the entire country…”
#WATCH | Delhi: On ED notice to Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, AAP chief National Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar says, “We have been seeing that ED is continuously taking actions against the opposition leaders and our leaders are in jail. The law of ‘guilty until… pic.twitter.com/ZA1ygkJjVn
— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2023
In the fresh charge-sheet, it is mentioned that Pahwa was receiving cash out of the books for the purpose of acquisition of land. “It was also noticed that Robert Vadra did not pay the entire sale consideration to Pahwa.”
The ED investigation in this regard is still ongoing. However, the copy of “the ledger accounts in the books of Pahwa reflecting the above mentioned transactions were taken on record vide letter dated November 17, 2023.”
“It is submitted that Robert Vadra incorporated entities with the names of Sky Light Hospitality Pvt Ltd and Sky Light Realty Pvt Ltd in India on November 1, 2007 and November 16, 2007 respectively. The same have been downloaded from the website of Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Whereas, an entity nemed Sky Lite Investment FZE in UAE was incorporated on April 1, 2009 with CC Thampi as its sole shareholder,” mentions the charge-sheet.
“During the course of investigation of Thampi and his Indian eatities in the case bearing no. T-3/219/HQ/2015 being investigation under the provisions of Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) it has been found that Thampi purchased land 486 actes (approx.) from 2005 to 2008 in village Amipur in Haryana’s Faridabed district through one HL Pahwa, Delhi NCR based real estate agent.”
It is also mentioned in the charge-sheet that Robert Vadra incorporated an entity in India with the name Blve Breeze Trading Pvt Ltd on November 1, 2007 which was later converted into LLP. “The email ID of the said entity has always remained as [email protected] ic. when it was a Private Limited entity and later when it got converted into an LLP. The incorporation documents of the said entities were downloaded from the website of Ministry of Corporate Affairs. It is the same email id on which one Beena, employes of CC Thampi in Dubai used to communicate in connection with the property 12 Bryanston Square, London,” mentions the charge-sheet.
(With inputs from ANI)