New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday challenged before the Delhi High Court anticipatory bail granted to Robert Vadra by a trial court, claiming non-compliance of bail conditions, contrary to Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Vadra, who was granted anticipatory bail by a trial court on April 1, 2019, is former Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law, facing allegations of money laundering involving the purchase of a property in London.
The ED’s counsel said he will file an additional affidavit to demonstrate that Vadra has breached the bail conditions.
On the ED seeking some time to place it before court, it has been granted a two-week window by Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain.
The matter is likely to come up next for hearing in the second week of September.
The ED had earlier told the high court that it wanted to question Vadra in custody, citing direct links between him and the alleged “money chain” in the case.
The agency had also said that Vadra was not cooperating during the investigation.
In response to the ED’s allegations, Vadra’s side had denied any wrongdoing and said that he had fully cooperated with the investigation, and that he had appeared before the probe agency whenever summoned.
Vadra had argued that the agency’s seizure of all relevant documents pertaining to the case demonstrated that he had no intention to tamper with evidence.
He further criticised the ED’s investigation as a “fishing and roving enquiry” lacking substantial material to support their allegations.
The specific allegations against Vadra pertain to his involvement in the purchase of a property located at 12, Bryanston Square, London, with an estimated value of 1.9 million pounds (approximately over Rs 17 crore).
(IANS)
