In a major setback to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Shikhopur land deal case, Robert Vadra was on Saturday granted bail by Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court after appearing before it in compliance with summons issued earlier while taking cognisance of the investigation agency’s chargesheet.
The matter came up before Special Judge Sushant Changotra, who directed Vadra to furnish bail bonds. The court made it clear that no additional conditions were being imposed while granting him relief. “I am asking to file a bail bond, not any other considerations,” the judge observed during the hearing.
Vadra appeared before the court after a summons had been issued to him and eight others when the court took cognisance of the prosecution complaint filed by the ED. The complaint relates to allegations of money laundering arising out of a land transaction in Haryana’s Shikohpur village.
During the proceedings, ED counsel Zoheb Hossain appeared virtually and informed the court that the agency was filing a status report in compliance with court directions.
However, he sought two additional weeks to file a detailed report regarding further investigation in the case. He told the court that the agency was still examining certain aspects and needed more time to complete the process.
The ED also informed the court that Vadra had challenged the order taking cognisance of the chargesheet before the Delhi High Court. The trial court then listed the matter for further hearing on July 10.
WHAT’S THE MATTER?
The case stems from an FIR registered in September 2018 over an alleged irregular land transaction involving a 3.5-acre plot in Gurugram’s Shikohpur.
According to the ED, Vadra’s company allegedly purchased the land from Omkareshwar Properties in February 2008 for Rs 7.5 crore and later sold it to DLF for Rs 58 crore.
The agency suspects that the transaction generated proceeds that formed part of a money laundering operation and initiated an investigation into the financial trail.
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