ED asks Robert Vadra to appear before it on Thursday in illegal assets case

ED said Vadra has been asked to depose before the investigating officer of the case at around 10:30 AM at the agency's office in New Delhi

The ED has issued a fresh summons to Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, to appear before it Thursday in connection with a money laundering case linked to purchase of alleged illegal assets abroad, officials said.

They said Vadra has been asked to depose before the investigating officer of the case at around 10:30 AM at the agency's office in New Delhi.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) only last week moved a court here seeking cancellation of the anticipatory bail given to Vadra in this case and the Delhi High Court had then issued notice to him seeking his response.

The ED, which had grilled Vadra over a dozen times in this case, had told the Delhi HC that itrequired Vadra's custody as he was not cooperating in the investigation and and the trial court had not discussed the gravity of the offence in its order that gave relief to Vadra, husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi.

The ED case against Vadra relates to allegations of money laundering in the purchase of a London-based property located at 12, Bryanston Square worth 1.9 million GBP (British pounds), which is allegedly owned by him.

The agency had told a Delhi court that it has received information about various new properties in London which belong to Vadra. These include two houses, one worth 5 million GBP and the other valued at 4 million GBP, six other flats and more properties.

Vadra has denied the allegations of possessing illegal foreign assets and termed them a political witch hunt against him. He said he was being "hounded and harassed" to subserve political ends.