'Hounded' by Modi govt: Rahul Gandhi extends support to his brother-in-law Robert Vadra amid ED action

New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday came out in defence of Robert Vadra, claiming that his brother-in-law is being "hounded" by the Modi government and describing the chargesheet by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case against him was part of a "witch-hunt".

He said "stand with Robert, Priyanka (Gandhi Vadra) and their children" as they face "yet another onslaught of malicious, politically motivated slander and harassment" and that he knows that "they are all brave enough to withstand any kind of persecution" and they would "continue to do so with dignity". The truth will eventually prevail, he said on 'X'.

"My brother-in-law has been hounded by this government for the last ten years. This latest chargesheet is a continuation of that witch-hunt," he said.

Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal claimed, "It seems the Modi-Shah duo has given the ED a monthly assignment to go after the Congress senior leadership and their family. The latest ED action against Mr. Robert Vadra is pure political vendetta - yet another futile attempt at intimidation."

Congress leaders viewed the filing of the chargesheet close on the heels of the Monsoon Session of Parliament as an attempt to corner the main opposition party but said they would continue to raise people’s issues and not bow down before the government.

The ED on Thursday filed a chargesheet naming the 56-year-old Vadra in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in a land deal in Haryana’s Shikohpur. The agency had attached 43 immovable properties located in Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Gujarat worth Rs. 37.64 crore pertaining to Vadra and his linked entities like Sky Light Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. and others.

Vadra's office said in a statement on Thursday that the present proceedings are "nothing more than an extension of the political witch-hunt" by the present government against him.

Besides Vadra, Sky Light Hospitality Pvt Ltd, Satyanand Yajee and Kewal Singh Virk, their company Onkareshwar Properties Pvt Ltd among others have been named as accused. The court is yet to take cognisance of the prosecution complaint.