In a major development in the decade-old Shikohpur land controversy, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed its first prosecution complaint (chargesheet) against businessman Robert Vadra, husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi and the brother-in-law of the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi,. The case revolves around a contentious 3.5-acre land deal in Gurugram’s Shikohpur, where Vadra’s company, Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd, is accused of irregularities in land purchase and sale under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The central agency has also attached 43 properties worth ₹37.6 crore allegedly linked to Vadra and his firm. This is the first time a central probe agency has formally filed charges against the 56-year-old in a criminal case, intensifying legal troubles for the high-profile businessman.
What is the Shikohpur Land Case?
The Shikohpur case dates back to February 2008, when Skylight Hospitality then under Vadra’s directorship acquired 3.5 acres of land from Onkareshwar Properties Pvt Ltd (OPPL) for ₹7.5 crore. Just four years later, in 2012, the land was sold to real estate giant DLF for ₹58 crore, yielding a massive profit.
However, the deal came under intense scrutiny when senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka then Director General of Land Consolidation and Land Records in Haryana cancelled the mutation (legal transfer of ownership) in October 2012. Khemka cited violations of the State Consolidation Act and procedural lapses. His decision triggered investigations by multiple agencies, ultimately leading to the ED probe.
The ED alleges that Skylight purchased the land without sufficient financial backing. At the time of the transaction, both Skylight Hospitality and Skylight Realty, another Vadra-linked firm, reportedly had just ₹1 lakh each in their accounts. The funds for stamp duty and other charges were provided by the seller, OPPL, which raised suspicions of a benami deal.
Alleged Irregularities in the Deal
According to ED officials, the cheque for the purchase amount was never presented for clearance, suggesting the sale was a financial formality, not a genuine transaction. They also revealed that Skylight paid OPPL ₹15.38 crore twice the sale deed amount after a delay of six months, indicating undervaluation of the property and subsequent revenue loss to the state exchequer.
Moreover, the ED found that Skylight Hospitality applied for a commercial development licence soon after acquiring the land. The Haryana government under then-Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda approved the licence within just four days—raising concerns about favoritism and fast-tracking of permissions due to Vadra’s political links.
The agency claims that the Haryana town and country planning department did not assess whether Skylight had the financial capability to undertake commercial development. A letter of intent to develop a commercial colony on 2.701 acres of the land was issued on March 28, 2008, only 11 days after the application.
Officials suggest that this unusually quick approval, coupled with Skylight’s limited financials, point to administrative lapses and potential misuse of political influence.
Fresh Interrogation Over UK Properties
On July 14, 2025, Robert Vadra appeared before the ED again, this time in a separate money laundering investigation linked to two properties in London allegedly owned by UK-based arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. These properties, located at Bryanston Square and Bourdon Street, are believed to be benami holdings of Vadra.
Vadra, accompanied by his wife Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, was questioned for nearly five hours at the ED’s central Delhi office. Sources claimed Vadra was evasive and did not provide satisfactory responses about his financial relationship with Bhandari and his family.
The ED suspects that the Bryanston Square flat purchased by Bhandari in 2009 was funded and later renovated under Vadra’s instructions. Vadra allegedly stayed at the property multiple times during his London visits. The ED, along with other agencies like the Income Tax Department and CBI, is also probing whether funds were routed illegally from India to acquire these overseas properties.
A Case That May Set a Political Precedent
The chargesheet against Robert Vadra marks a significant escalation in ongoing corruption and money laundering probes involving politically exposed individuals. While the ED continues to collect evidence and pursue other leads including offshore assets. As the investigation proceeds, the case is likely to have wider political ramifications, not just for Vadra but for the Congress party leadership. Whether these charges translate into convictions remains to be seen but the ED’s latest action suggests it is far from closing the file.