Petroleum scam from UPA era linked to Robert Vadra?

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) appears to have been closing in on Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s brother-in-law Robert Vadra. The scams related to Robert Vadra is widening by the day.

The ED sources made a startling revelation regarding kickbacks received by few individuals after the UPA government signed a petroleum contract in 2009.

A UK based company Santech International is now under the scanner of the agency for allegedly round tripping money received as a kickback for a petroleum contract signed during the UPA regime.

According to top sources, huge tranche of money was received by Skylight soon after the petroleum contract was signed. The company allegedly received money in Dubai currency in 2010. Highly placed sources say 1.9 million pound was part of the kickback received in the petroleum deal.

The money was transferred to a company called the  Santech International, which is linked to arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, who is close aide of Robert Vadra. Santech then purchased the 12 Bryanstone mansion in London from Vortex (pvt holding) and later Vortex shares were transferred to Skylight Investment FZE UAE by NRI businessman C Thampi.

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The ED suspects that the mansion and six other flats in London were bought from the proceeds of crime.

Sources say they have come across several properties including property worth 1.9 million pounds, another property worth 4 million pounds, one more property worth 5 million pounds and 6 other flats. These properties are in London and the agency suspects that it is linked to Vadra through his associates.

Enforcement Directorate’s counsel DP Singh argued that it is essential that Vadra joins the probe as soon as possible as they have got incriminating evidence. Vadra’s lawyers assured that their client would soon join the probe. The court has directed Robert Vadra to appear before the ED on February 6.

The Patiala House Court granted interim protection from arrest to Vadra till February 16. Vadra is in London for his mother’s treatment. The court has also asked Vadra to deposit a surety of Rs 1 lakh for the interim protection. 

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