Need NBW against Vadra's "front man" Manoj Arora, ED tells court

The ED Tuesday told a Delhi court that Manoj Arora was "the front man" for Robert Vadra and his firm and the issuance of an open-ended arrest warrant against him was required in a money laundering case connected to an overseas property allegedly owned by Vadra.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) informed the court that a London-based property at 12, Bryanston Square, worth 1.9 million pound, was owned by Vadra and various aspects of the purchase are already being investigated by the Income Tax Department for alleged illegalities.

ED's special public prosecutor Nitesh Rana said Arora was looking after all the affairs related to the purchase of the property and issuance of the non-bailable warrant (NBW) against him was required to ensure that the probe proceeds further.

Vadra is the brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Special Judge Arvind Kumar put up the matter for further hearing on Wednesday.

The court will hear on January 10 an application by Arora, seeking anticipatory bail in the case, alleging that ED was forcing him to "falsely implicate" his employer Vadra in the case.

During the arguments on Tuesday, the ED said, "Three summons were issued against him earlier. He is a key person but evading summons. He is in possession of various docs of Vadra. More than one e-mail regarding that property (London-based) between Arora and one person in UK was exchanged. Arora was constantly suggesting how and what to renovate in the property before it was officially bought by Vadra."