Money laundering case: Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s brother-in-law Robert Vadra has managed to get an interim bail from the Delhi's Patiala High Court till February 16 in a money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Vadra's lawyer KTS Tulsi ensured in Court that Vadra will join the ED investigation on February 6. The Businessman on Friday moved HC seeking anticipatory bail on the grounds of being a law-abiding citizen of the country. Varda has always rejected ED's acquisition and rather alleged that he is being subjected to false prosecution which has a colour of political witch-hunt. However, the ED had refuted the allegations, asking that "should no authority investigate any political bigwig because that will be called a political vendetta?"

The case relates to allegations of money laundering in the purchase of a London-based property -- located at 12, Bryanston Square -- worth 1.9 million pounds, which is allegedly owned by Vadra, husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi. ED had told the court that it lodged the money laundering case against Arora after his role came up during the probe of another case by the Income Tax Department under the newly-enacted Black Money Act and tax law against absconding arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari.

It had alleged that the London-based property was bought by Bhandari for GBP 1.9 million and sold in 2010 for the same amount despite incurring additional expenses of approximately GBP 65,900 on its renovation. "This gives credence to the fact that Bhandari was not the actual owner of the property but it was beneficially owned by Vadra who was incurring expenditure on the renovation of this property," the ED had told the court.

Arora, an employee of Vadra's Skylight Hospitality LLP, was a key person in the case and he was aware of the latter's overseas undeclared assets and was instrumental in arranging funds, ED had alleged.