New Delhi: A firm linked to Robert Vadra, the son-in-law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, has been issued fresh summons by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a land deal in Rajasthan allegedly used for money laundering when the Congress was in power at the Centre and in the state.
The firm, Sky Light Hospitality - alleged to have received sweetheart deals in Haryana and Rajasthan, benefitting from the considerable influence wielded by Mr Vadra's family - had received a notice late last month, asking to explain the land deal. Confirming the notice, his wife, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had alleged that the news had been leaked to reporters by the government.
Officials said the second summons was issued as the central agency had dismissed as "unauthorised" the appearance of a lawyer in response to the first notice sent to the company.
Skylight Hospitality has been given two weeks' time to furnish financial statements and other documents related to the case.
According to investigators, Mr. Vadra's firm allegedly bought about 70 acres of land in Bikaner in Rajasthan in 2010 for Rs. 70 lakh and sold it three years later for about Rs. five crore. The BJP government which replaced the Congress in the state election two years ago says the land was first grabbed by local mafia and then sold with "forged and fabricated documents" in connivance with then government officials.
The land had been acquired from farmers who were told that it was needed for a firing range for the Army.
The fresh notice to Mr. Vadra's firm came on a day a former judge investigating his land deals in Haryana was given time till August to submit his report. Justice SN Dhingra was to give his report to the state government on Thursday.
Justice Dhingra is facing criticism for summoning neither Mr. Vadra nor the "whistleblower" in this case, senior bureaucrat Ashok Khemka, who tried to cancel the land deal that's been described as corrupt.
The Congress and the Gandhis have described the investigations against Mr. Vadra as a political witch-hunt.
The firm, Sky Light Hospitality - alleged to have received sweetheart deals in Haryana and Rajasthan, benefitting from the considerable influence wielded by Mr Vadra's family - had received a notice late last month, asking to explain the land deal. Confirming the notice, his wife, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had alleged that the news had been leaked to reporters by the government.
Officials said the second summons was issued as the central agency had dismissed as "unauthorised" the appearance of a lawyer in response to the first notice sent to the company.
Skylight Hospitality has been given two weeks' time to furnish financial statements and other documents related to the case.
According to investigators, Mr. Vadra's firm allegedly bought about 70 acres of land in Bikaner in Rajasthan in 2010 for Rs. 70 lakh and sold it three years later for about Rs. five crore. The BJP government which replaced the Congress in the state election two years ago says the land was first grabbed by local mafia and then sold with "forged and fabricated documents" in connivance with then government officials.
The land had been acquired from farmers who were told that it was needed for a firing range for the Army.
The fresh notice to Mr. Vadra's firm came on a day a former judge investigating his land deals in Haryana was given time till August to submit his report. Justice SN Dhingra was to give his report to the state government on Thursday.
Justice Dhingra is facing criticism for summoning neither Mr. Vadra nor the "whistleblower" in this case, senior bureaucrat Ashok Khemka, who tried to cancel the land deal that's been described as corrupt.
The Congress and the Gandhis have described the investigations against Mr. Vadra as a political witch-hunt.