Vadra to appear before ED in land grab case

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi's husband Robert Vadra is expected to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) here on Thursday in a case related to land grand in Delhi-NCR, Bikaner in Rajasthan and purchase of properties in foreign countries.

The ED had last week issued a summon to Vadra, the son-in-law of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, to appear before it for questioning on Thursday.

On May 24, the agency had requested the Delhi High Court for custodial interrogation of Vadra for questioning him about the source of funds used for the purchase of a London-based property worth 1.9 million pounds and ascertain the role of certain other people, who allegedly helped him launder money.

On Monday, the high court issued a notice to Vadra and his close aide Manoj Arora on a plea filed by the ED seeking cancellation of the trial court order granting them anticipatory bail in a money laundering case. The court has sought the reply of Vadra and Arora on the plea and posted the matter for hearing to July 17.

The EC had claimed that Arora was aware of Vadra's overseas undeclared assets and was instrumental in arranging funds for buying the flat.

Vadra is enjoying protection from arrest with the condition that he cannot leave India without permission of a special CBI court.