Fresh chargesheet against Robert Vadra, UAE-based businessman CC Thampi, arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari in money laundering case
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday filed a fresh supplementary charge sheet involving Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s brother-in-law Robert Vadra, arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, and Gandhi family’s close aide UAE-based businessman C C Thampi alias Kallu Thampi. Fugitive Sanjay Bhandari and C C Thampi were found to have money trails with Vadra’s assets in London and New York. Special CBI Judge Neelofer Abida Parveen has now kept the matter for hearing arguments on the point of cognizance on November 24.
As per ED’s prosecution wing, Bhandari’s firm Santech FZE had purchased a property from a private firm, which was acquired by Thampi’s Dubai-based company Sky Light, and later changed hands allegedly to Robert Vadra. Earlier this month, the same court allowed Vadra to travel to Austria and Switzerland for two weeks.
“As the applicant (Robert Vadra) is not named as an accused and there has not been any further material alleged against the applicant other than emails exchanged on the renovation of one immovable property disposed of in the year 2010, it would not be sufficient ground to impose any fetters on the right to movement of the applicant,” Special Judge Parveen said while granting the said relief.
The court had, however, directed Vadra to furnish a bank guarantee for a sum of Rs.25 lakh in his name. It further directed that Vadra would not open or close any bank account and would not enter into any kind of property transaction abroad.
C C Thampi is a Keralite engaged in the liquor business in UAE, popularly known as Kallu Thampi. Kallu in the Malayalam language means locally made liquor. Thampi landed in UAE in the mid-80s as a worker engaged in the bootlegging business turned into a big liquor trader and is running many firms engaged in the hospitality industry. It is well known that Thampi has been closely associated with Sonia Gandhi’s family since early 2000 and was host to them whenever they landed in the Middle East. Thampi is already arrested by ED and is now out on bail.[1]
Reference:
[1] Dubai based businessman C C Thampi alias Kallu Thampi’s arrest sends shockwaves to Sonia Gandhi and family – Jan 21, 2020, PGurus.com
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