Money laundering case: Robert Vadra appears before ED
New Delhi: Robert Vadra, the brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Thursday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to purchase of alleged illegal assets abroad, officials said.
Vadra was dropped by his wife and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi outside the agency's office near India Gate here at about 10:30 AM.
He was summoned to depose before the investigating officer of the case where his statement will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Taking to Twitter and Facebook, Vadra said this is the 11th time he has appeared before probe agencies in cases against him and has been subjected to 70 hours of questioning so far.
"I maintain my belief in the Indian judiciary. I have and will adhere to all summons/norms of government agencies. I have deposed 11 times with questioning of approximately 70 hours. In future also, I will cooperate, till my name is cleared of all false allegations and accusations," Vadra said in his posts.
Vadra has appeared before the agency multiple times in the past in this case.
The agency has recently sought cancellation of the anticipatory bail given to Vadra and has also opposed his foreign travel. A local court Wednesday had reserved for June 3 its order to allow Vadra to travel abroad.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) also 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 had told the Delhi HC that it required 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 the high-profile businessman.
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.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
