Finance Minister P Chidambaram ruled out a probe into the “private” deals between Robert Vadra and realty major DLF, saying allegations by civil rights activists lack specific charges of corruption. “... unless there is a specific allegation of quid pro quo or corruption, I am afraid private transactions cannot and ought not to be allowed to be questioned on the basis of imputations and insinuations,” he said. Those who made the allegations have made their statement, so did the company concerned and the individual concerned. “Beyond that, I have no facts,” he said.
The finance minister was asked how he would respond to civil rights activists’ queries that why shouldn’t Vadra’s transactions be probed when Jaganmohan Reddy’s deals were inquired. “I can’t respond on behalf of the government because that is not the issue here,” he replied.
Reddy, son of former former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, had a fallout with the Congress after his father’s death. He quit the party and was later investigated for corruption.
Vadra is the son-in-law of the United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. India Against Corruption member Arvind Kejriwal had demanded an inquiry into business dealings between Vadra and his companies and real estate giant DLF. Kejriwal had said DLF gave interest free-loan of Rs 65 crore to Vadra, and properties were sold below market price. It was implied that all these were done in return for favours. The company and Vadra had denied the allegations.
Vadra had earlier dismissed Kejriwal’s allegations as “utterly false and defamatory”, saying that his business transactions were “fully reflected” in financial statements submitted to government authorities in compliance with law.
DLF, too, had rejected the allegations that it had given unsecured loans to Vadra as a quid pro quo for favours and said it had transparent dealing with him as an individual entrepreneur.
Kejriwal had alleged that besides an interest-free loan of Rs 65 crore, DLF gave properties worth Rs 300 crore to Vadra at throwaway prices.