According to a chargesheet filed by the federal anti-money laundering agency in a special court here, Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor told the Enforcement Directorate that he was “forced” to buy a M F Husain painting from Congress’ Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and that the sale proceeds were used by the Gandhi family for Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s medical treatment in New York.
Kapoor also told the ED that the then-petroleum minister, Murli Deora, advised him that refusing to buy the M F Husain artwork would prohibit him from not only developing a relationship with the Gandhi family, but also from receiving the ‘Padma Bhushan’ award.
Rana Kapoor’s comments are included in the second additional chargesheet (overall third) filed in the special court here recently in a money laundering case against the Yes Bank co-founder, his family, Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL) promoters Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan, and others.
Kapoor stated that after paying a cheque for Rs 2 crore, “Milind Deora (son of the late Murli Deora and former Congress MP) later conveyed to him confidentially that the sale proceeds were used by the Gandhi family for Sonia Gandhi’s medical care in New York.”
Kapoor also told the ED that Ahmed Patel, a close confidante of Sonia Gandhi, told him that by supporting the Gandhi family at an opportune time for Sonia Gandhi’s medical treatment, he (Kapoor) had done a good deed for the family and that he (Kapoor) would be duly considered for the ‘Padma Bhushan’ award.
Murli Deora sought to persuade Rana Kapoor that refusing to buy the picture would prevent him from ever developing a relationship with the Gandhi family. According to the chargesheet, it will also bar him from receiving the ‘Padma Bhushan award.’
