Court lists supplementary charge sheet against Robert Vadra for consideration, ED argues pre-cognizance notice not required

New Delhi [India], February 26 (ANI): The Rouse Avenue court on Thursday listed the supplementary charge sheet filed against Robert Vadra for consideration in a money laundering case linked with arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) argued that pre-cognizance notice is not required in a supplementary charge sheet.
This supplementary charge sheet was filed in December 2025, naming Robert Vadra in the money laundering case.
Special Judge Sushant Changotra listed the matter for consideration on April 6 after noting the submissions of the Enforcement Directorate.
Meanwhile, the court asked Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Naveen Kumar Matta for ED to file a relevant judgement in support of his arguments that pre-cognizance notice is not required in a supplementary charge sheet.
During the hearing, the court asked SPP Matta, who appeared through video conferencing, to make submissions on pre-cognizance notice to Robert Vadra.
SPP Matta, assisted by Advocate Mohd Faizan, submitted that it is not required to issue pre-cognizance notice in a supplementary charge sheet where the cognizance has already been taken on the main charge sheet. He will file judgement on this point.
The ED filed a list of unrelied documents as per order of the High Court. The copy of the same was supplied to the accused persons.
The Enforcement Directorate in December 2025 filed its second supplementary prosecution complaint in the money laundering case linked to UK-based defence dealer Sanjay Bhandari, formally naming businessman Robert Vadra as accused. Vadra was granted anticipatory bail in the case in 2019 by a Delhi court.
According to reports, Vadra's role has come under scrutiny as part of the larger investigation into Bhandari, who is alleged to have facilitated questionable financial transactions and benefited through dealings.
Vadra had appeared before the agency in July this year, where his statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The businessman is under ED investigation in three separate money laundering cases, two of which relate to alleged irregularities in land transactions. The agency has been probing whether funds generated through these deals were routed through offshore entities linked to Bhandari.
Sanjay Bhandari, considered a known associate of Vadra, fled to London in 2016 shortly after the Income-Tax Department conducted searches at his premises in Delhi. He was recently declared a Fugitive Economic Offender (FEO) by a Delhi trial court.
However, Bhandari challenged the order before the Delhi High Court. In August, the High Court reserved its verdict on his plea contesting the trial court's decision under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018. (ANI)