Confusion over alleged Vadra-linked London flat due to mix up in addresses

The Sharjah-based investment company which bought a flat in London in 2010, allegedly for arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, was registered in the Hamriyah Free Zone the year before, according to information available with the Free Zone Authority.

On Tuesday, NDTV had reported that the Income Tax department was looking into allegations that the London flat belonged to Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress President Sonia Gandhi through a benami transaction.

Sonia Gandhi denied this, although Vadra has not spoken about it.

The channel had reported that the probe was looking into whether Vadra had purchased the property through arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari in 2009 and sold it the next year.

The channel had based its story on e-mails allegedly exchanged by Vadra and his executive assistant Manoj Arora which the authorities had got hold of.

Vadra's lawyer had denied the allegation, saying his client had nothing to do directly or indirectly with the flat at 12, Ellerton House in London.

On Wednesday, IANS had quoted a report appearing in Manchester-based diaspora paper Asian Lite which said that neither Vadra nor Bhandari's name was mentioned in the land registry papers. The flat, Asian Lite said, belonged to Harold Sacks and Shirley Sacks who had bought it in 2005.

As it turns out, Asian Lite had confused the addresses and put out wrong information.

The flat which was mentioned in the NDTV report (Flat 12, 12 Bryanston Square W1H2DN) was bought by Mayfair Investment on June 18, 2010 for 1.9 million pounds, according to the UK Land Registry papers downloaded by IANS. The flat is on the ground floor and has a basement.

Asian Lite confused the address (12, Ellerton House, 11 Brynston Square, London W1H2DQ). The flat, belonging to Harold Sacks and Shirley Sacks, is on the fourth floor and has nothing to do with the alleged benami deal.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has termed the allegations against Vadra part of "a political conspiracy" and asked the Narendra Modi government to probe the matter "unbiasedly".

--IANS

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