Just four days later, on March 21, then Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda allegedly approved the request.
ED Files Chargesheet Against Robert Vadra in Gurugram Land Deal
New Delhi – The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law, businessman Robert Vadra, in connection with a 2008 land deal in Shikohpur, Gurugram, according to the Hindustan Times, citing people familiar with the matter.
In April, Vadra was reportedly questioned for three consecutive days as part of the ongoing investigation.
Key Allegations
Vadra’s two firms allegedly had only ₹1 lakh each in their bank accounts when they acquired 3.53 acres of land valued at ₹7.5 crore in Shikohpur. Despite the low balance, the firms went ahead with the deal.
The ED’s investigation revealed that the land was purchased by Sky Light Hospitality Pvt Ltd (SLHPL) without any actual payment being made at the time of the transaction.
Instead, a cheque was issued by another Vadra-owned company, Sky Light Realty Pvt Ltd (SLRPL), but this cheque was never presented for encashment, according to one official.
A second official said both SLHPL and SLRPL lacked sufficient funds to complete the transaction, each holding just ₹1 lakh at the time of the sale deed.
Omkareshwar Properties Pvt Ltd (OPPL), the seller, reportedly paid the ₹45 lakh stamp duty and other charges, raising further questions about the nature of the transaction.
Undervaluation & Revenue Loss Alleged
A third officer told HT that SLHPL later paid ₹15.38 crore in two tranches to OPPL, nearly double the amount mentioned in the sale deed (₹7.5 crore). This, according to ED, suggests undervaluation of the property, resulting in suppressed stamp duty and revenue loss to the government.
Rapid Government Clearance
Initially, OPPL applied for a commercial license on the land but was not granted approval.
On March 17, 2008, after SLHPL informed the Town and Country Planning Department of the Haryana government about its land purchase, it applied for a license to develop a commercial colony.
Just four days later, on March 21, then Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda allegedly approved the request.
By March 28, a letter of intent was issued for the development of 2.701 acres out of the 3.53-acre plot.
The ED noted that the Haryana government did not verify whether SLHPL had the financial capacity to develop the project, adding that "the license appears to have been granted based on Vadra’s status."
The case now awaits judicial scrutiny.
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