The Income Tax (I-T) department recorded the statement of Robert Vadra in connection with a property case under the provisions of the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act on Monday, 4 January, reported news agency, ANI. Vadra was reportedly questioned for over nine hours in connection with the probe into the 'benami' properties case, according to IANS.
Robert Vadra denied that the investigation was about Benami properties. ANI quoted him saying, “We are here to cooperate. We have answered everything. It was nothing related to Benami property. Justice and truth will prevail. I have nothing to hide and worry.”
According to IANS, Vadra described his questioning as "vendetta politics" and said that the government is trying to divert attention from the ongoing farmers' protest.
Speaking to the media outside his residence after the team left his house, Vadra said, "I replied to all the questions asked by the I-T department sleuths in nine hours. If they come once again, I will share my answers with them."
I-T officials reached Vadra's office in Sukhdev Vihar in Delhi since he cited COVID-19 restrictions when asked to report at the tax authority’s office. The team of sleuths left his residence at 6 pm.
An official reportedly told The Hindu:
“We had sought his presence for recording his statement under the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act. However, owing to the pandemic, a team has gone to his residence to facilitate the process.”
The official further reportedly told The Hindu that it was not a search or survey operation, and the team was only at Vadra’s Delhi residence to record his statement in connection with a probe under the Benami Act.
The department has been probing Vadra, the husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on charges of alleged possession of some undisclosed assets in the UK.
The Enforcement Directorate too is investigating these charges, under the anti-money laundering law, against the businessman.
Vadra had denied any wrongdoing in the past even as the Congress party had called the action political vendetta.
Vadra is being investigated in a case pertaining to properties worth approximately 12 million pounds in London. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has recorded his statements on multiple occasions, since February 2019.
According to The Hindu, Vadra had denied any connection with the matter, referring to the charges as “a political witch-hunt” against him.
(With inputs from ANI, IANS and The Hindu.)
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