Robert Vadra seeks new date to appear before ED in Gurugram land deal case: Report

Businessman Robert Vadra reportedly sought a new date from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to appear before the financial probe agency in connection with the Gurugram land deal case.

Vadra, the husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday. He, however, has "informed the central agency that he would not appear today and sought a fresh date," sources told news agency ANI.

Vadra had earlier appeared before the Enforcement Directorate on April 17 — the third straight day — for questioning in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in a 2008 Haryana land deal case.

The Enforcement Directorate's probe involves properties in London and financial transactions during the UPA regime (2004–2014). The central agency alleged Vadra’s involvement with Sanjay Bhandari through the London property, financial transactions, and personal associations, supported by email trails and Thampi’s role, News 18 reported.

Bhandari is allegedly a close aide of Vadra and had fled India in 2016. He is currently living in the United Kingdom.

On April 17, after the Enforcement Directorate interrogated him on Thursday in connection with the Gurugram land case, businessman Robert Vadra said that the investigative agency was asking him repeated questions that he had already answered in 2019.

"There was no new question; all the questions were repeated from 2019. If tomorrow were not a public holiday, I would have to celebrate my birthday in the ED office. "Tomorrow is Good Friday, and I will celebrate my birthday with my family; otherwise, they will keep calling me," Vadra told the media.

Vadra slammed the action as a "political vendetta", accusing the government of misusing investigative agencies to target opposition voices.

Vadra questioned the ED's impartiality, alleging selective action against leaders from non-BJP parties while vowing to continue his fight against "injustice".

"This is a political vendetta. Agencies are being misused. This is wrong. How will there be trust in agencies when they are after any candidates for the CM position in the country, or when a party is doing well? Which BJP minister or member has been summoned by the ED? Why has none of them been summoned? Is everyone in the BJP good? Do they not have any allegations against them? "There are several allegations," Vadra said.

Vadra also claimed that the ED's action against him was fueled when he started raising his voice over atrocities against minorities.

"If I were to enter politics, which is what everyone wants, they (the BJP) would either speak of dynasty or misuse ED. This difficulty started when, a few days back, I gave messages through social media regarding atrocities against minorities. This is nothing else. Ever since I said that people wanted me to enter politics, this difficulty has started. But the ED summons has no basis," he said.

(With inputs from ANI)