I am Vadra sahab's chela: Jagdish Sharma to ED

Congress worker Jagdish Sharma, who was detained by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) yesterday for interrogation, on Sunday said that he informed the investigating agency that he was businessman Robert Vadra's 'chela' (disciple).

Sharma, who is believed to be a close aide of Vadra, was taken into ED custody for interrogation as part of an ongoing probe against Vadra for allegedly receiving money from defence suppliers. However, Sharma was release later in the evening.

Speaking to ANI, Sharma said that ED and the central government are frustrated because they did not find anything against Vadra during its raids. "ED raided my family's locations at 7 in the morning. Raid continued for 24 hours, while I was taken for questioning for 10 hours. They had only one motive. They asked me how do you know Robert Vadra...what wrongdoings has he done. Quite straightforwardly, I answered them that I am Vadra sahab's 'chela'. I keep Congress party in my heart and can do anything for them," he said.

Accusing the ED of framing wrong charges against Vadra, Sharma said, "As far as Robert sahab is concerned, he has never done anything wrong in his life. They are trying to frame Robert Vadra. They took me for questioning in property case but didn't ask me anything regarding that. All that they asked me was about Robert Vadra. This is because BJP is going to lose badly in five states. They are only trying to mislead the country by showing they have tightened the noose on Robert Vadra. If you have to catch someone, catch Nirav Modi, Mallya who are on the run. Only Gandhi family is being troubled," he added.

Earlier, while being taken to the ED office, Sharma had said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government wanted to "trap" Vadra.

On Friday, the ED conducted raids at the premises of some close associates of Vadra for allegedly receiving money from defence suppliers, according to sources in the investigating agency. The raids were conducted at three places in Delhi, in addition to Bengaluru, the ED sources said.

While Vadra's advocate Suman Khaitan cried foul, the ED sources said the investigating agency has "evidence" that the persons being raided had received money in their bank accounts from defence suppliers.

Khaitan claimed that the ED officials raided "close associates" and business partners of Vadra without producing any search warrants.