BJP spells trouble for Robert Vadra, to probe land deals

Son-in-law of Congress party’s President Sonia Gandhi, Robert Vadra, may get into trouble as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Haryana Government will soon set up a panel to probe his land deals in the state.

The state government is in final stages of setting up the panel, which is likely to be headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Swatanter Kumar.

BJP’s Haryana in-charge and national general secretary Anil Jain said the commission is in formative stage.

"We are surely going ahead with forming a commission to look into all the land deals, if we spot any aberration, the panel will look into it. Right now the commission is in the formative stage," said Jain.

Former Haryana Chief Minister B.S. Hooda, who is also named by the BJP, said there was nothing illegal in Vadra deals.
Congress party also came out to support Vadra.

"These kinds of tactics won't work on us. If there is truth to it let them bring it out, why make statements?" said senior Congress party leader Mallikarjun Kharge.

Party spokesperson P.C. Chacko played down the panel, saying there was nothing new in the charges levelled by the government.

However, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij was confident about the probe initiated against "Rahul Gandhi's suited-booted brother-in-law".

"When will it happen, who will do it, only CM Khattar will take a call on it," Vij said.

In March, CAG had said that the previous Hooda government had granted undue favours to builders, including Vadra's firm, Skylight Hospitality.

Congress party has insisted the CAG report has neither indicted the former Congress government of Haryana or Vadra or his Skylight Hospitality Private Limited for any violation of the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975, or any rules or policy.

Skylight Hospitality sold a prime 3.5 acre piece of land in Manesar in Gurgaon district to DLF in 2008 for Rs 58 crore. The land had, however, only cost his company
around Rs 15 crore and was sold to DLF after obtaining change of land use and other permissions.

Vadra is a flamboyant businessman who married Sonia Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka Gandhi in 1997.

(Image: Indiatimes)