Robert Vadra moves Delhi HC seeking quashing of ED's money laundering case

Robert Vadra Wednesday moved the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of a money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in which he has been questioned by the probe agency.

Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, has also sought that various provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 be declared unconstitutional.

His plea, in which he has sought quashing of the ED's FIR lodged in 2017, has been listed for hearing on March 25.

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

A trial court had on Tuesday extended Vadra's interim protection from arrest till March 25 in the case.

In his plea, Vadra has sought that Sections 3 (offence of money laundering), 17 (search and seizure), 19 (power to arrest), 24 (Burden of Proof), 44 (offences triable by special courts) and 50 (Powers of authorities regarding summons, production of documents and to give evidence, etc) of the PMLA be declared ultra vires or unconstitutional.

Besides Vadra, Manoj Arora, his close aide and an employee of Vadra's Skylight Hospitality LLP, has also filed a similar petition in the high court.