Robert Vadra appears before ED in connection with money laundering case

Robert Vadra, son-in-law of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, on Wednesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case against him.

To send out a message, Vadra's wife Priyanka Gandhi accompanied him to the ED office and left after dropping him there.

"I stand by my husband," she told reporters later while assuming office as Congress' general secretary for East Uttar Pradesh region at the AICC headquarters.

The Patiala House Court had granted interim bail to Vadra on February 2 till February 16 in connection with the money laundering case.

During the course of the hearing, the ED had told the court that they had learnt about more overseas properties related to Vadra and hence, said he should join the probe. It also said Vadra and his associates got kickbacks in the petroleum deal inked in 2009.

"There is a question of 1.9 million pounds of property involved in the case. Besides this, other cases of 4 and 5 million pounds of money laundering are also filed against him, and Vadra had 6 flats overseas in his possession," submitted ED's Counsel and Special Public Prosecutor DP Singh

Countering the ED, Vadra's counsel and senior Congress leader KTS Tulsi had said the businessman would "join the investigation as directed." He had also told the court that Vadra was in London taking care of his ailing mother.

A day ahead of the hearing, Vadra had filed an anticipatory bail plea in connection with the case and claimed that he was being targeted and subjected to false prosecution which has the colour of "political witch hunt." He had also stated in his petition that he is a law-abiding citizen.