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Businessman Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the second consecutive day on Wednesday in connection with a money laundering case linked to a 2008 land deal in Haryana’s Gurugram.
Accompanied by his wife, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Robert Vadra arrived at the ED office in Delhi just before noon. The couple shared a brief hug before he proceeded inside for questioning.
Before entering the agency premises, Vadra addressed the media, reaffirming his stand against what he called a politically motivated investigation. “Hum kisi se darte nahi hain (We are not afraid of anyone). We are targeted because we are relevant,” he declared, drawing parallels with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s alleged silencing in Parliament.
A Case Spanning Nearly Two Decades
The case involves a controversial land transaction in Shikohpur village of Gurugram, where Vadra’s company, Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd, purchased 3.5 acres of land from Onkareshwar Properties for ₹7.5 crore in 2008. The land was later sold to real estate giant DLF in 2011 for ₹58 crore, after permissions for an apartment complex were secured.
The deal came under scrutiny following a 2012 report by senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka, leading to allegations from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of corruption and misuse of government machinery during the then-Congress government in Haryana, led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Both Vadra and Hooda have consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Vadra has termed the repeated summons a form of “political vendetta” by the ruling BJP. On Tuesday, he was questioned for over six hours and was summoned again for Wednesday’s session.
Speaking to reporters, Vadra expressed surprise at receiving fresh summons despite appearing 15 times in the past and submitting over 23,000 documents related to the case. “They are asking the same questions that I had answered in 2019. Even the officials were surprised. This is harassment through misuse of agencies,” he said.
He further alleged that the government intensifies such actions whenever he or his family members express dissent or political ambitions. “Every time I raise my voice or talk about joining politics, old cases are dug up to divert attention from real issues,” he claimed.
Tuesday saw Vadra walking nearly two kilometres from his residence at Sujan Singh Park to the ED office on APJ Abdul Kalam Road, symbolizing defiance. “People love me, and they want me to join politics,” he remarked during the walk.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s presence alongside her husband has also been seen as a message of unity and resilience from the Congress camp amid growing allegations that investigative agencies are being selectively used against Opposition leaders ahead of the 2025 general elections.
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