ED forcing to implicate Robert Vadra in money laundering case, close aide Manoj Arora tells Delhi court

Manoj Arora alleged in Delhi Court on Monday that ED was forcing him to "falsely implicate" his employer Robert Vadra in a money laundering case connected to overseas purchase of property.

Arora, who is working for Skylight Hospitality LLP owned by Vadra, said he and his wife were threatened by the probe agency that they would be taken to task.

Vadra is the brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Arora's anticipatory bail plea came two days after the ED moved the court seeking issuance of open-ended non-bailable warrant (NBW) against him saying it was required for getting a Red Corner Notice issued against him through Interpol since there were apprehensions that he might have fled from the country.

The Enforcement Directorate's plea is also listed for hearing Tuesday before Special Judge Arvind Kumar.

The ED has alleged that a case under the PMLA was lodged against Arora as during an income tax probe -- under the newly enacted Black Money Act and tax law -- revealed that a property has been purchased in London by absconding arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, who was "not the actual owner of the property but it was beneficially owned by Vadra".

The probe has alleged that London property at 12, Bryanston Square, worth 1.9 million pound is owned by Vadra.

ED's Special Public Prosecutor Nitesh Rana claimed that Arora was a key person in the case and he was aware of overseas undeclared assets of Vadra and was instrumental in arranging funds.

In his application, Arora claimed that his wife had appeared before the agency for interrogation in the case and through her, ED officials threatened him to implicate Vadra.

"It is stated that some officials of ED visited the wife of petitioner and threatened her that unless her husband, i.e. the petitioner, deposes to the desires of the ED officials specially to the extent of falsely implicating Robert Vadra, the petitioner would be taken to task and would be treated with their degree methods and the officials would ensure that his future and his family's future is doomed in perpetuity," the accused alleged in the application.

He further alleged that his wife was told by the ED officials that if the accused agrees to agency's demands, "then they would also ensure tender of pardon to the petitioner, otherwise the case of the petitioner is already been botched up to an extent that he will never come out of custody".

The ED officials had also sought "confessional statement against his employers, including Vadra, to the suitability of the investigation", he alleged.

He claimed that he has already joined investigation with the respondents conducting the probe into the affairs of Skylight Hospitality LLP as its authorised representative in Rajasthan with their offices at Jaipur on many occasions and has supplied all the relevant documents to the ED. "Yet the petitioner is being virtually hounded and harassed" by the agency.

ED, in its application filed through advocate A R Aditya, had on January 5 urged the court to issue open-ended NBW against Arora, saying he failed to appear for questioning despite repeated summonses in the case.

An "open-ended NBW" does not carry a time limit for execution unlike other non-bailable warrants.

In its application, the agency had said, "Vadra was beneficially controlling the property at 12, Bryanston Square, London, UK, which was valued at 1.9 million pound, and not only executing renovation work of this property but also arranging funds for the same."

It said that the property was bought by Bhandari for GBP 1.9 million and sold in 2010 for the same amount despite incurring additional expenses of approximately GBP 65,900 on its renovation.

"This gives credence to the fact that Bhandari was not the actual owner of the property but it was beneficially owned by Vadra who was incurring expenditure on the renovation of this property," it alleged.

The ED submission that Arora has been absconding since the search of his premises by the agency.

"It is apprehended that the accused might have crossed the boundaries of the country. Hence, Red Notice through Interpol is required to be issued for which open-ended NBW is necessary," the agency argued.