ED SEEKS CANCELLATION OF ANTICIPATORY BAIL TO VADRA
New Delhi, May 24: The Enforcement Directorate Friday moved the Delhi High Court, seeking cancellation of anticipatory bail granted to Robert Vadra in a money laundering case, claiming that he was non-cooperative and evasive during the probe and may tamper with the evidence.
It sought quashing of the trial court's April 1 order by which Mr Vadra was granted anticipatory bail, saying the special judge failed to consider the settled position of law that bail should not be "granted in a routine manner". Filed through ED prosecutor D.P. Singh, the plea said the protection granted to Vadra - brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi - would be detrimental to investigation in the case on certain crucial aspects, including ascertaining the exact source of the alleged tainted money and the end use of the funds involved in the case. The ED's plea is likely to be listed for hearing on Monday.
Besides Mr Vadra, the agency has also challenged the anticipatory bail granted to Mr Manoj Arora, an employee of Mr Vadra's Skylight Hospitality LLP and a co-accused in the case. Mr Vadra is facing allegations of money laundering in purchase of a London-based property at 12, Bryanston Square worth 1.9 million pounds. The ED had alleged that Mr Arora, a close aide of Mr Vadra, was aware of his overseas undeclared assets and was instrumental in arranging funds. - PTI
Mr Vadra and Mr Arora's separate pleas seeking quashing of the money laundering case are also pending before the high court.
In the plea, the agency contended that if Vadra is granted a blanket protection of bail, there is a likelihood that he may tamper with the evidence and the witnesses in the case and the trial court has failed to appreciate that he is a highly influential person. – PTI