Delhi HC to hear ED's plea seeking cancellation of Vadra's bail today

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court will Monday hear the plea of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking cancellation of the anticipatory bail granted to businessman Robert Vadra in a money-laundering case.

The ED's plea, filed on May 24, is listed for hearing before Justice Chander Shekhar.

The agency has sought quashing of the trial court's April 1 order by which Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, was granted anticipatory bail, saying the special judge had failed to consider the settled position of law that bail should not be "granted in a routine manner".

The ED has also claimed that Vadra was non-cooperative and evasive during the probe and may tamper with evidence. The central agency has also challenged the anticipatory bail granted to Manoj Arora, an employee of Vadra's Skylight Hospitality LLP and a co-accused in the case.

In its plea, filed through ED prosecutor D P Singh, the agency has sought cancellation of the anticipatory bail granted to Vadra, saying the protection given to him would be detrimental to its probe on certain crucial aspects, including ascertaining the exact source of the allegedly tainted money and the end use of the funds involved in the case.

Vadra is facing allegations of money laundering in the purchase of a London-based property, located at 12, Bryanston Square and worth 1.9 million pounds. The ED has alleged that Arora, a close aide of Vadra, was aware of his undeclared overseas assets and was instrumental in arranging funds. The separate pleas of Vadra and Arora seeking quashing of the case are also pending before the high court.

In its plea, the ED has contended that if Vadra is granted the blanket protection of bail, there is a likelihood that he may tamper with evidence and influence the witnesses in the case and that the trial court had failed to appreciate that he was a highly-influential person.

It has claimed that Vadra was "non-cooperative" and in spite of being given several opportunities to come clean on his alleged role in the case, he remained evasive.

On the contrary, Vadra has "maliciously" claimed to be a victim of political vendetta and made all possible attempts to sensationalise the case, the agency has alleged. Vadra and Arora have denied the allegations levelled against them. The ED has said the other important aspects of the probe are related to unearthing the entire source of credits for purchasing the properties and ascertaining the details of all similar transactions in the accounts of the entities concerned.