Day 2: Robert Vadra appears before ED in Jaipur

Robert Vadra, husband of AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) zonal office in Jaipur on Wednesday for the second day consecutive in connection with a probe into an alleged land scam in Rajasthan’s border town of Bikaner.

On Tuesday, Vadra and his mother Maureen had appeared before the ED in Jaipur.

Priyanka Gandhi had accompanied them to the probe agency's office.

Vadra left the ED office at 8:30 pm on Tuesday and on Wednesday again visited the office. However, his mother did not come along with him.

On Tuesday Vadra took on to Facebbok and said, "So here we are, my 75-year-old mother and me in Jaipur to depose in front of the Enforcement Directorate. Not understanding the lows of this vindictive government to be harassing a senior citizen, who the world knows has lost her daughter in a car crash, her ailing son to diabetes, and her husband as well..."

On last three occasions, he appeared before ED in Delhi in connection with a money laundering probe against him for his alleged role in procuring assets abroad.

Last month the Rajasthan High Court had asked Vadra and his mother to cooperate with the agency after they approached it seeking directions that no coercive action is taken against them by the agency.

In the Bikaner land case, the agency had summoned Vadra thrice but he failed to appear and later approached the court.

The ED filed a money laundering case in 2015 after it took note of several First Information Reports (FIRs) filed by the Rajasthan Police, which received complaints from the Bikaner tehsildar on reported forgery in land allotment in the area, considered sensitive due to its proximity to the border with Pakistan.

Sources reveal that ED also wanted to question Vadra about the operations of a firm — Ms Skylight Hospitality Private Limited — allegedly linked to him, which had purchased land in the area.

Last week, Robert Vadra was questioned for 24 hours over the course of three days by the ED in connection with a probe into allegations of money laundering in purchase of assets abroad.