A Delhi court on Wednesday took cognisance of the money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against entrepreneur and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi's husband Robert Vadra.
Special Judge (PC Act) Sushant Changotra of the Rouse Avenue Court said that the prosecution complaint (equivalent to a chargesheet) filed by the ED and broader scrutiny of documents "disclose sufficient material for proceeding further with the present complaint case" against Vadra.
Hence, it issued summons to Vadra.
Apart from Vadra, the Court also issued summons to Kewal Singh Virk, Sky Light Hospitality Pvt Ltd (now Skylight Hospitality LLP), Sky Light Realty Private Limited, Real Earth Estates Private Limited (now Real Earth Estates LLP) and Blue Breeze Trading Private Limited (now Blue Breeze Trading LLP).
"Accordingly, I take cognizance of the offences under section 3 r/w Section 70 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, punishable under Section 4 of the Act qua accused no. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 & 11. Issue summons to accused 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 & 11 for appearing in the court on the next date," the court ordered.
The case stemmed from a 2008 land transaction in Gurugram, where a company linked to Vadra allegedly acquired 3.5 acres of land for ₹7.5 crores through a fraudulent sale deed without making the declared payment at the time of registration.
It is alleged that the land was given as a bribe so that Vadra could get a housing license in the same village using his influence over the then Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
Four years later, after the license was issued, the land was sold to DLF for ₹58 crores. Around 350 acres of land in Wazirabad, Gurugram, was also allegedly wrongly allotted to DLF, due to which it earned a profit of around ₹5,000 crores.
In his order, Judge Changotra said that though the ED's prosecution complaint does not disclose whether DLF or its officials have been investigated in the case, he expects that further investigation will include the facts noted against DLF.
"It is expected that further investigation shall include the above-stated facts within its purview for ensuring complete justice in the case and in case overt acts or omissions are discovered on the part of M/s DLF Universal Pvt. Ltd., then the role of the persons responsible for such acts or omissions shall also be thoroughly investigated," the Court said.
[Read Order]