The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet against businessman Robert Vadra, husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in connection with a money laundering case pertaining to a land deal in Haryana's Shikohpur. This marks the first time a probe agency has filed a prosecution complaint against Vadra in a criminal case. The chargesheet, filed in a local court, accuses Vadra and several others under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The case revolves around a 3.5-acre land deal in Shikohpur village, Gurugram, back in 2008. Vadra's company, Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd, allegedly purchased the land from Onkareshwar Properties Pvt Ltd for ₹7.5 crore. The ED alleges that the land was purchased through fraudulent means. Further, it is alleged that Vadra used his influence to obtain a commercial license for the land while a Congress government led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda was in power in Haryana.

Subsequently, in 2012, Skylight Hospitality sold the land to real estate giant DLF for ₹58 crore. The ED suspects that the ₹58 crore received from DLF constitutes proceeds of crime. The agency has also attached 43 properties worth ₹37.6 crore belonging to Vadra and his company.

According to ED sources, the case originated from an FIR registered by the Gurugram Police in 2018. The FIR alleges that Vadra fraudulently purchased the land through Skylight Hospitality from Onkareshwar Properties. The police claimed the purchase was made through a false declaration. The ED investigation suggests irregularities in the land purchase, alleging that Vadra's firms, Skylight Hospitality Private Ltd (SLHPL) and Sky Light Realty Pvt Ltd (SLRPL), had only ₹1 lakh each in their bank accounts when the ₹7.5 crore land was purchased. The ED claims SLHPL did not issue the cheque for the purchase, and the cheque from SLRPL was never presented to the bank. The agency also found that Onkareshwar Properties provided the funds for stamp duty and other charges.

The land deal first came under scrutiny when IAS officer Ashok Khemka, then Director General of Land Consolidation and Land Records, cancelled the mutation of the deal in October 2012, deeming it a violation of state consolidation laws.

Vadra has consistently denied any wrongdoing, claiming the case is a "political vendetta" against him and his family. His office has stated that he will defend himself in court and is confident he will be cleared of any wrongdoing.

Besides Vadra, 11 other individuals and entities have been named as accused in the chargesheet, including Satyanand Yajee, Kewal Singh Virk, M/s Sky Light Hospitality Pvt. Ltd., and M/s Onkareshwar Properties Pvt. Ltd. The court is yet to take cognizance of the chargesheet.

This is not the only case against Vadra. He is also facing money laundering investigations in other land deals in Haryana and Rajasthan, as well as a case involving fugitive arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari.