The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday interrogated businessman Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, for nine hours in connection with a money laundering case linked to a land deal in Haryana.
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00:00On the day that the ED's charge-sheeted Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, Robert Wadra was also summoned, was also questioned today in another case.
00:08The ED has grilled Robert Wadra for nine hours. He's been called again for questioning tomorrow.
00:13Remember, this is to do with the 2008 Haryana land deal case in which Robert Wadra has been questioned.
00:20There are questions here about really this land deal and allegations of impropriety to the tune of 50 crores plus.
00:28Nine hours, Robert Wadra has been grilled. He, of course, cried political conspiracy this morning when we spoke to him.
00:34And you can see these images as he emerged out of the ED headquarters, refused to really give any statement to the media.
00:41But tomorrow again, Robert Wadra has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate.
00:46It's because of these images on the same day as Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi being charge-sheeted that the Congress is crying foul here,
00:54saying that one family is being targeted, that the Enforcement Directorate is going after one family.
01:00Robert Wadra in trouble for a 2008 case.
01:05And Amit Bharatwaj is joining us live from the ED office.
01:08Amit, quick update from you. Robert Wadra has left.
01:11What have you picked up from your sources on his questioning?
01:13Okay, let's get you a report first, filed by Amit.
01:23The moment Robert Wadra emerged from the ED headquarters.
01:26So, right there, Robert Wadra leaving the Enforcement Directorate office after nearly eight hours of questioning.
01:42So, in the morning, he came around 11 in the morning to the Enforcement Directorate office
01:46and had left around 1.30 in the noon for a lunch break of an hour.
01:52And after another round of nearly four hours of questioning.
01:57...which have answered before are being answered again.
02:00It's no issue. Nothing to hide. Everything is answered. Everything will be answered again.
02:06The prosecution complaint has been filed against Rahul and Sonia.
02:10Sir, what do you want to say, sir?
02:13Side of the way, side of the way.
02:15Robert Wadra making his way out.
02:44Brief message to the media where he says he's cooperating with the agencies.
02:48Remember, he's been summoned again for questioning tomorrow.
02:51Let me just get in a quick reaction from Mumtaz Patel on this.
02:54On the same day as the ED charge sheet in Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi,
02:59you have Robert Wadra Mumtaz being called in for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate
03:03in a 2008 land deal case.
03:05Question today will be questioned tomorrow as well.
03:08Okay, so firstly going back to the other case, the National Herald case.
03:14You know, Young India Private Limited is a non-profit company.
03:18Now, you are, like I said, there is a technical scrutiny, but it has been definitely used as a political vendetta.
03:28When you come to Robert Wadra, it's a 2008 case.
03:32He has been summoned enough times.
03:34He has given thousands of documents.
03:36What is taking ED so long?
03:39Why are you questioning him again and again and again?
03:42The timing of it, of course, if you had anything against him, why haven't you convicted him by now?
03:49Okay, okay, that's a question that you're raising tomorrow again, Robert Wadra.
03:552008 case, yes, that's come back to haunt him now.
03:58And at this point, the Congress saying, how is it on the same day all of this is happening where one family is being targeted?
04:04Thank you, Mumtaz Patel, for joining us here on India Today with your view on all that's playing out right now.
04:10Dramatic development spelling more and more trouble right now for the Congress High Command,
04:14for Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Robert Wadra there has been questioned by the Enforcement Directorate on the very same day.
04:21This is, in fact, in connection with a money laundering probe, much like Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.
04:27In the National Herald case, the allegation against them is money laundering.
04:30Here, too, against Robert Wadra, the allegation is of money laundering.
04:34It's linked to a land deal in Haryana, the Shikhopur land deal.
04:38Robert Wadra, on his part, has dismissed all of the allegations, labelling it as expected as part of a political vendetta.
04:46He claims he's always raised his voice for the public and that's why he is being targeted by agencies which are being misused.
04:52But what's the allegation against him?
04:54Wadra is accused of money laundering in a 2008 land deal and he'd skipped the first summons, which was issued on April 8th.
05:01Here's what the ED says, Wadra's company purchased a 3.5 acre plot.
05:06This was in Gurgaon, Shikhopur area and they purchased this from an other property group for 7.5 crores in February 2008.
05:17So, remember that number, 7.5 crores.
05:19Wadra's company then sold that land for 58 crores to DLF.
05:24So, look at the difference really in that sum.
05:277.5 crores to 58 crores.
05:29That land was sold to DLF.
05:31So, the agency suspects that the proceeds from this transaction are part of a money laundering scheme.
05:36And so, they're investigating that money trail of where all of that money went.
05:39How was it from 7.5 crores?
05:41It went up to 58 crores.
05:43That's an increase of 700%.
05:46And if you're wondering of the time frame, five months, Robert Wadra bought that property and sold it off.
05:53So, no matter of five months, from 7 crores, it rose right up to 58 crores.
05:57So, this is what the ED is looking into.
06:01Mr. Wadra, what's your word on the allegations that have been delivered against you?
06:06Totally misuse of the agencies.
06:08I speak for the minorities.
06:10I speak for the people of the country.
06:12And they misuse the agencies.
06:14And trying to quiet me down, stop me.
06:16They stopped Rahul in the parliament and they stopped me on the ground.
06:21Are you dubbing it as a political consequence?
06:23100%.
06:24Everybody knows.
06:25Everybody knows.
06:28So, let's give you a quick timeline of what this 2008 land deal is about.
06:33So, this was a 3.5 acre parcel of land in Gurugram that Wadra bought.
06:38This was in February 2008.
06:40So, like I said, he bought this for 7.5 crores.
06:43Let's quickly pull out those details as well.
06:45Now, after that, the title was transferred to Wadra within 24 hours of purchase.
06:51So, it was directly given to him.
06:54And that's why when that amount, in fact, was given to Robert Wadra, he then sold it to DLF for 58 crores.
07:02So, 7.5 crores to 58 crores.
07:0451 crores right now is what they're looking into.
07:07Is what, in fact, the ED is looking into.
07:10About whether this is money laundering, where did this money go?
07:14That, at this point, is something that the ED is investigating.