ED raids Vadra's associates; Cong alleges 'vendetta' by Modi govt

The Enforcement Directorate Friday conducted searches against three persons linked to Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, for allegedly receiving "commissions" in defence deals and stashing illegal assets abroad, prompting the opposition party to accuse the Modi government of indulging in "vendetta" sensing defeat in state polls.

While the Congress party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "is acting like a don", Vadra's lawyer Suman Khetan alleged that the ED officers did not show any search warrant and said premises of his client have been raided in a "brazen affront" to the rule of law and to the Constitution.

This is for the first time that Vadra's associates have been linked to alleged commissions received in defence deals by the Enforcement Directorate.

The raids that began around 12 noon were carried out at multiple premises in Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru, they said.

"The searches were carried out at the premises of two employees of firms linked to Vadra and another person. These people are suspected to have received commissions out of a defence deal and they subsequently invested these funds to procure illegal assets abroad," ED sources claimed.

They said they have some "fresh evidence" to take action.

They, however, did not disclose the names of the people whose premises were searched or the defence deal under their scanner stating that the "search action was ongoing".

The raids come three days after the CBI extradited Christian James Michael, the alleged middleman in Rs 3,700 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal.

Reacting to the ED action, Vadra's lawyer Khaitan alleged that the ED teams entered the premises of associates of his client without showing "search warrants".

He alleged that the government was using its agencies to harm the reputation of his client.

He claimed that the premises were locked from inside and alleged that evidence was being fabricated.

The Congress alleged political motive in the move and alleged that sensing defeat in state polls, an "unnerved" Modi government was unleashing "vendetta" against Vadra.

There was no immediate reaction from the BJP on Congress's comments.

"Sure shot defeat in five states has unnerved Prime Minister Modi to again use the same old trick -- unleash revenge and vendetta against Mr Robert Vadra (Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's brother-in-law) to divert the narrative," Surjewala alleged at a press conference.

Instead of acting as independent investigative agencies, the CBI, the ED and the Income Tax department are acting as "personal slaves and political agents" of Modi, he claimed.

Politics of revenge and malicious vendetta have today reached its nadir, he said.

Outside one of the premises searched by the ED, Khetan said, "They (ED officers) did not show any search warrant, broke the locks and now preventing people from coming out."