Priyanka Gandhi named in ED charge sheet in money laundering case

In a first, the Enforcement Directorate has named Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi in its charge sheet mentioning her role in purchasing an agricultural land measuring 40 kanal (five acres) in Haryana's Faridabad from a Delhi-based real estate agent HL Pahwa in 2006 and sold the same land to him in February, 2010.

According to the ED, the land was purchased in Amipur village in Faridabad from Pahwa-- the agent with whom Priyanka's husband Robert Vadra also purchased three pieces of land measuring 334 kanals (40.08 acres) in Amipur village from 2005-2006 and sold the same land to him in December, 2010.

The agent is the same person who also sold land to NRI businessman CC Thampi. The larger case involves fugitive arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, who is under investigation by multiple agencies for money-laundering, violation of foreign exchange and black money laws, and the Official Secrets Act. He fled India for the UK in 2016. Thampi has been accused of facilitating Bhandari to hide proceeds of crime, along with Sumit Chadha, a British national.

ED has named Robert Vadra in its earlier charge sheet related to the case as an alleged close aide of Thampi.

In the fresh charge-sheet, it is mentioned that Pahwa was receiving cash out of the books for the purpose of acquisition of land. "It was also noticed that Robert Vadra did not pay the entire sale consideration to Pahwa."