Businessman Robert Vadra, husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday, April 15, for questioning related to a money laundering case linked to a controversial land deal in Shikohpur, Gurgaon, Haryana. The case, which dates back to 2007–08, has re-emerged in the spotlight with Vadra calling the action against him a result of “political vendetta” targeting him and his brother-in-law, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.
This appearance followed an earlier summons issued on April 8, which Vadra did not respond to. According to ED sources, new evidence has surfaced in the probe, prompting fresh questioning under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
What Is the Haryana Land Deal Case?
The case revolves around a land transaction between Skylight Hospitality, a company launched by Robert Vadra in 2007 with a capital of just ₹1 lakh, and Onkareshwar Properties.
The Timeline of the Deal:
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February 2008: Skylight purchased 3.5 acres of land in Manesar-Shikohpur, Gurgaon, for ₹7.5 crore from Onkareshwar Properties.
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Within 24 hours, the land was mutated in Skylight’s name—a process that usually takes at least three months.
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A month later, the Congress-led Haryana government, then headed by Bhupinder Singh Hooda, issued a letter of intent allowing Skylight to develop a housing project on most of the land.
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This approval led to an approximate 700% increase in the land value.
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By June 2008, real estate major DLF agreed to purchase the land for ₹58 crore, with payments made in instalments.
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In September 2012, the colony license mutation was formally transferred to DLF.
Political Fallout and the role of IAS officer Ashok Khemka
The deal first garnered national attention in October 2012, when senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka, then Director General of Land Consolidation in Haryana, cancelled the mutation of the 3.531-acre plot. Khemka argued that the assistant consolidation officer who had approved the mutation lacked the authority to do so. He cited a notification from August 2011 under Section 14(1) of the East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948, which prohibits land transfers during the consolidation process unless approved by a consolidation officer.
Hours after his action, Khemka was transferred by orders from Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda. However, Khemka still managed to issue a formal cancellation order on October 15, 2012, before leaving office.
Clean Chits, Legal Challenges, and New Inquiries
In response to the controversy, the Haryana government under Hooda formed a three-member IAS committee (Krishna Mohan, Rajan Gupta, and K K Jalan) which, in April 2013, exonerated both Vadra and DLF of wrongdoing. Instead, the report accused Khemka of overstepping his authority.
Following the BJP’s rise to power in 2014, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar commissioned a one-man Dhingra Commission of Inquiry. The 182-page report, submitted in August 2016, was never made public. However, leaks suggested it recommended a probe into Hooda's conduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act, stating he had provided pecuniary benefits to close associates.
When the case landed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in November 2016, the government assured that the Dhingra report would not be published, in response to a plea by Bhupinder Hooda.
FIRs, ED Probe, and Political Allegations
In 2018, an FIR was filed against:
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Bhupinder Singh Hooda
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Robert Vadra
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DLF Universal
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Onkareshwar Properties
The charges included:
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Criminal conspiracy
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Cheating
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Fraud
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Forgery
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Violations under the Prevention of Corruption Act
Both Hooda and Vadra have consistently denied all allegations. On April 15, Vadra stated, “There is nothing in the case. I have been summoned 15 times and interrogated for more than 10 hours every time for the last 20 years. Organising 23,000 documents is not easy.”
ED’s Current Stand and Legal Developments
The Enforcement Directorate is now the primary investigating agency, pursuing the case under the PMLA framework. Officials have indicated that they intend to confront Vadra with fresh evidence gathered during the ongoing probe.
In 2023, the Haryana government filed an affidavit before the Punjab and Haryana High Court stating that:
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No rules were violated in the land’s transfer to DLF Universal.
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As per reports from Tehsildars in Manesar and Wazirabad, the land in question was not found in DLF’s name.
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The land reportedly exists in the name of HSVP/HSIIC (Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran/Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation).
Vadra Speaks Out: Political Vendetta Allegation
Outside the ED office, Vadra reiterated his belief that the case was being used to target political opponents:
“When I speak in favour of the country, I am stopped, Rahul is stopped from speaking in Parliament. BJP is doing it. This is political vendetta.”
He added that the renewed attention to the case seems linked to his public expression of interest in joining politics:
“People love me and want me to join politics… When I express my willingness to join politics, they bring up old issues to bring me down and divert from the real issues.”
Despite the accusations, Vadra expressed hope for a resolution, stating:
“Nobody is evading anything. I am here today… I am expecting a conclusion.”
The Shikohpur land deal remains one of the most high-profile real estate controversies involving allegations of abuse of political power, bureaucratic overreach, and systemic manipulation. As the Enforcement Directorate deepens its probe, the case could have far-reaching implications not only for Robert Vadra and his business dealings but also for the Congress party’s political narrative amid ongoing friction with the ruling BJP.
Whether it culminates in formal charges or is dismissed as politically motivated, the outcome of this investigation is being closely watched in legal, political, and media circles alike.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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