ED files fresh chargesheet in Sanjay Bhandari case, adds Robert Vadra as accused

New Delhi [India], November 20 (ANI): The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday 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 an accused. 

Vadra was granted anticipatory bail in the case in 2019 by the 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 benefitted 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 to 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)