Robert Vadra: 'Damaad' In Gandhi Family Hit National Headlines (Image: .instagram.com/robert_vadra)
Recently, entrepreneur Robert Vadra insinuated his political debut from Amethi. He said that people of Amethi expects him to contest from constituency if he join politics. This is not the first time Robert Vadra expressed his desire to enter into politics. He has actively participated in the Congress election campaigns before. Vadra”s link with the Gandhi family has made him a well-known name in the national scene and he constantly hit news headlines for alleged land acquisition and suspicious business handlings.
Robert Vadra is the “damaad” (son in law) in Gandhi family; he married Priyanka Gandhi, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi in 1997. Hailing from Uttar Pradesh”s Moradabad, he was born to Rajendra and Maureen Vadra in 1969. After dropping out of College, he entered into the family business of brassware and artificial jewellery.
In 1997, Robert Vadra started his business Artex. The firm which began focusing on handicrafts and fashion accessories, slowly advanced into multiple sectors including real estate, aircraft and hospitality. Delhi Land & Finance (DLF) Group, is Robert Vadra”s partner in real estate business.
The year 2007 marked peak at his business career; within a year, he founded a number of firms, including Sky Light Realty, North India IT Parks, Sky Light Hospitality, Real Earth Estates, and aircraft charter firm Blue Breeze Trading, Business Standard reports. Within few years, Vadra”s company successfully acquired 29 high-value properties. It was made possible with a Rs 80-crore loan from DLF, and from Bedarwals Infra Projects, VRS Infrastructure and Nikhil International as well. Aside from this, the company has also bought hundreds of acres of agricultural land in Bikaner, Palwal, Manesar, Hasanpur and Mewat.
In 2011, Vadra”s name hit political headlines activist Arvind Kejriwal (AAP national convenor and chief minister of Delhi) alleged Robert Vadra of taking an interest-free loan of Rs 65 crore as well as heavy bargains on land from DLF group in exchange for political favours. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) launched investigation on Robert Vadra, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and DLF group over alleged irregularities in land deals. It was in connection to 50-acre land acquisition in 2013 in Haryana”s Amipur village, during Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government.
In 2015, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) booked a money-laundering case stating that Robert Vadra’s Sky Light Hospitality had grabbed land meant for rehabilitation of poor villagers in Kolayat, Bikaner. As per the allegation, he had illegally obtained 69.55 hectares of land at a low-cost in collaboration with Rajasthan government officials and sold it at a high price to Allegenery Finlease via fake transactions. The Rajasthan high court in 2019 summoned Robert Vadra and his mother Maureer on the said land transactions allegations.
Even prior to this, there is a petroleum deal case linked in Robert Vadra”s name. In 2009 case, the ED alleged that he and his associates has received bribes in a petroleum deal signed during the time of the Congress-led UPA government. The case is being investigated in accordance with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Meanwhile, Robert Vadra responded to all ED summons and BJP allegations as “the political witch-hunt” and “politically motivated, malicious and baseless prosecution,” Business Standard reports as he is saying.
