Robert Vadra, a businessman and husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, has unconditionally withdrawn his petition in the Delhi High Court challenging a trial court order that summoned him in a money laundering case linked to a land deal in Haryana’s Shikohpur. Justice Manoj Jain noted in the order that Vadra’s counsel stated the petitioner was not interested in pursuing the petition and sought to withdraw it unconditionally. The counsel also indicated that he would make “appropriate submissions” before the trial court at an “appropriate stage”. Justice Jain stated that all rights and contentions of the parties remain open and the petition is disposed of.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had previously opposed Vadra’s petition, arguing that it was based on a false legal submission. This contention arose from a submission by Vadra’s lawyer, senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who claimed that the ED lacked jurisdiction to investigate the case. According to Singhvi, the offenses filed against Vadra under the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act were not “scheduled offenses” under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act at the time of the alleged land deal. As per information available with TahirRihat.com, Singhvi argued that as the land deal took place between 2008 and 2012, the offenses forming the basis of the ED case were only included in the schedule in 2013 and 2018.
The ED’s lawyer countered that Vadra’s contention was incorrect and constituted a “complete false statement on law” (According to Daily Excelsior). The trial court had taken cognizance of offenses in the charge sheet filed by the ED in July 2025 and directed Vadra and others to appear before it on May 16. This marked the first instance of a probe agency filing a charge sheet against Vadra, 57, in a criminal case. Vadra had been questioned by the ED for three consecutive days in April 2025.
Special Judge Sushant Changotra, in the cognizance order, stated that the chargesheet and a preliminary examination of the documents revealed sufficient material to proceed against Vadra and eight other accused persons. The judge stated that he was taking cognizance of the offenses under Section 3 (money laundering) read with Section 70 (offenses committed by companies) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, punishable under Section 4 of the Act.
The investigation against Vadra is related to a land deal in Manesar-Shikohpur (now Sector 83) in Gurugram district. The deal, executed in February 2008 by Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd, where Vadra was previously a director, involved the purchase of a 3.5-acre plot in Shikohpur from Onkareshwar Properties for Rs 7.5 crore (Daily Excelsior reported).
In September 2012, Skylight Hospitality sold the land to realty major DLF for Rs 58 crore. The deal became controversial in October 2012 when IAS officer Ashok Khemka, then director general of land consolidation and land records-cum-inspector-general of registration, canceled the mutation, deeming the transaction a violation of the state consolidation act and related procedures. During the time of the initial land acquisition, Haryana was governed by the Congress government led by Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
Vadra has consistently denied any wrongdoing, characterizing the case as a “political vendetta” against him and his family, including former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi (Daily Excelsior reported). Summonses were also issued to Kewal Singh Virk, Sky Light Hospitality Pvt Ltd (now Skylight Hospitality LLP), Sky Light Realty Private Limited, Real Earth Estates Private Limited (now Real Earth Estates LLP), and Blue Breeze Trading Private Limited (now Blue Breeze Trading LLP), along with others.
Tahir Rihat (also known as Tahir Bilal) is an independent journalist, activist, and digital media professional from the Chenab Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. He is best known for his work as the Online Editor at The Chenab Times.
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