Robert Vadra gets bail in ₹58 crore land deal money laundering case

Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court grants bail to Robert Vadra on ₹50,000 surety; businessman slams ED, claiming federal agency acts on central government's orders.

In a major legal development, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Saturday granted bail to businessman Robert Vadra in a money laundering case linked to the controversial 2008 Shikohpur land deal scam in Gurugram.

Special Judge Sushant Changotra granted the relief to Vadra upon furnishing a bail bond of ₹50,000 and one surety of the like amount. Vadra, who is the husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, appeared in person before the court on Saturday morning in response to summons issued to him last month. The central probe agency had filed its prosecution complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) without arresting him during the investigation stage.

No extra conditions imposed by court

During the brief courtroom proceedings, the court clarified that no additional restrictions or conditions were being placed on the businessman while granting bail. “I am asking to file a bail bond, not any other considerations,” the special judge observed.

Representing the federal anti-money laundering agency online, ED counsel Zoheb Hossain informed the bench that a formal status report was being filed. The agency requested a two-week window to submit a more comprehensive status report, noting that further layers of the transaction are still being investigated. The court subsequently listed the matter for further hearing on July 10.

Agency acting on government orders: Vadra

Speaking to reporters outside the court complex shortly after securing relief, Vadra maintained his innocence and launched a scathing attack on the federal agency. He alleged that the ongoing legal offensive is politically motivated.

"I believe in the judicial system of the country. I know the Enforcement Directorate is being managed by the Government and the ED will keep on going on the instructions of the Government. I have nothing to hide. I am always going to be here and answer all the questions," Vadra said, describing himself as "fearless."

Roots of the 2008 Shikohpur deal

The political and legal storm traces back to February 2008, when Vadra’s firm, Skylight Hospitality Private Limited, bought 3.5 acres of land in Shikohpur village, Gurugram, from Omkareshwar Properties for ₹7.5 crore.

The transaction occurred during the tenure of the Congress government in Haryana, led by then Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Shortly after the purchase, the Hooda administration granted a commercial colony development licence for the land. Within months, Skylight Hospitality sold the same parcel of land to real estate giant DLF for ₹58 crore, netting a profit of roughly ₹50 crore.

Mutation cancellation and subsequent FIR

The deal first ran into official headwinds in 2012 when whistleblower IAS officer Ashok Khemka, then serving as the Director of Land Registration in Haryana, cancelled the land mutation. Khemka flagged severe procedural irregularities, alleging that rules were bypassed to fast-track the commercial licence.

Six years later, in September 2018, the Haryana Police registered a comprehensive criminal case against Vadra, Hooda, DLF, and Omkareshwar Properties under various sections of the IPC, including fraud, forgery, and criminal conspiracy. The ED subsequently stepped in, initiating a parallel PMLA probe based on the police FIR to track the alleged "proceeds of crime."

Allegations of systemic irregularities

The ED’s prosecution complaint alleges that the initial ₹7.5 crore payment was a sham, asserting that the cheque cited in the sale deed was never actually encashed. The agency suspects Omkareshwar Properties functioned as a shell entity.

Furthermore, investigators allege that the Hooda administration tailored policies to favor DLF, citing a separate 350-acre land allocation in Wazirabad through which the developer allegedly reaped windfall gains worth ₹5,000 crore. While Vadra has moved the Delhi High Court challenging the trial court's decision to take cognisance of the ED chargesheet—a matter slated for hearing on May 18—Saturday's bail order ensures immediate relief from arrest for the high-profile businessman.