ED Attaches ₹36 Crore in Assets
New Delhi : Businessman Robert Vadra is facing intensified legal trouble as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed its first criminal case against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with a controversial land deal in Gurugram. The ED has also provisionally attached 43 immovable properties worth ₹36 crore allegedly linked to Vadra and his associates, including through his company Sky Light Hospitality Pvt Ltd.
On Friday, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court took cognizance of the prosecution complaint filed by the ED on July 17. The case was heard by Special Judge Sushant Changotra, who directed the record keeper to examine the voluminous charge sheet and documents, and submit a verification report. The matter has been listed for further hearing on July 24.
The case originates from a 2008 transaction in which Vadra’s firm Sky Light Hospitality acquired 3.53 acres of land in Shikohpur, Sector 83, Gurugram, from Onkareshwar Properties Pvt Ltd. According to the ED, the deal was executed using forged documents, false declarations, and undue influence to obtain commercial licensing, allowing the company to earn massive profits through resale at inflated prices.
This marks the first criminal charge sheet filed against Vadra by the ED, naming him and 10 others, including his company, Satyanand Yajee, Kewal Singh Virk, and Onkareshwar Properties Pvt Ltd.
Special Public Prosecutor NK Matta, representing the ED, informed the court that the attached assets — located across Delhi and adjoining areas — are proceeds of crime laundered through a web of real estate transactions. The agency claims Vadra used political clout to manipulate land use approvals and profit unlawfully from the deal.
The case began with an FIR filed by the Gurugram Police, which was later taken over by the ED under the PMLA. The developments signal a serious legal turn in the long-controversial land dealings involving Robert Vadra, making this his first formal entanglement in a money laundering prosecution.
