Key Points
- ED filed supplementary chargesheet against Robert Vadra in Delhi’s special PMLA court on November 19, 2025, marking first time he is directly named as accused in Sanjay Bhandari case
- This is Vadra’s second money laundering chargesheet; he was first chargesheeted in July 2025 in Haryana Shikohpur land deal case
- ED alleges Vadra funded renovation and used London property at 12 Bryanston Square acquired by Bhandari in 2009 as benami asset
- Sanjay Bhandari declared fugitive economic offender in July 2025 after UK court rejected India’s extradition request, fled to London in 2016
- Vadra denies owning any London property directly or indirectly, calls investigation “witch-hunt” and claims full compliance with ED summons
New Delhi: In a major move, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has officially named Robert Vadra as an accused for the first time in a high-profile case involving black money and money laundering linked to UK-based defense dealer Sanjay Bhandari. The ED filed a new supplementary chargesheet on November 19, 2025 in Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court in connection with a London property at 12 Bryanston Square and alleged black money transactions. The case stemmed from an investigation into suspicious transactions involving Bhandari, a 63-year-old arms consultant who fled to London in 2016 soon after the Income Tax Department raided his premises in Delhi.
According to the ED, Vadra’s statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in July 2025 during the course of the investigation. The agency claims to have uncovered financial links between Vadra and Bhandari, including investigations into foreign properties and fund transfers that allegedly constitute proceeds of crime. The new chargesheet is considered a turning point in the case, as it marks the first time Vadra has been directly named as an accused in the Bhandari-linked money laundering probe, though he had been questioned multiple times previously.
Second Money Laundering Chargesheet Against Vadra
This is the second money laundering chargesheet filed against Robert Vadra, 56, who is the husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. In July 2025, the ED chargesheeted him in a separate case related to alleged irregularities in a land deal in Shikohpur, Haryana, marking the first formal prosecution complaint filed against the businessman. The Rouse Avenue Court will soon take cognizance of the supplementary chargesheet filed in the Bhandari case, which could lead to formal trial proceedings. It is expected that the political temperature in this high-profile case will rise further in the coming days, especially given the timing during the ongoing election season.
Robert Vadra’s Connection to the Sanjay Bhandari Case
The Enforcement Directorate investigation against Robert Vadra is related to properties in London registered in the name of British arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, particularly the house at 12 Bryanston Square. The ED alleges that these properties are actually Vadra’s benami properties held through Bhandari as a front. The agency is now conducting a thorough investigation into the alleged relationship between Bhandari and Vadra, examining financial transactions, property ownership structures, and travel records.
According to the ED’s 2023 chargesheet in the matter, Bhandari allegedly acquired the house at 12 Bryanston Square in London in 2009 and had it renovated “as per the directions of Vadra,” with Vadra purportedly providing the funds for the renovation work. Officials say that Vadra funded the Bryanston Square property renovation and that it was carried out at his specific request and instructions. The ED also claims that Vadra stayed at the property on multiple occasions during his visits to London, using it as his personal residence while in the UK.
ED Files Case in 2017 Based on Income Tax Investigation
The ED filed a criminal case against Bhandari and others under the PMLA in February 2017, taking cognisance of an Income Tax Department chargesheet filed against him under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act of 2015. The case originated from Income Tax Department raids conducted on Bhandari’s premises in Delhi in 2016, which uncovered documents and evidence suggesting links to the London properties and Vadra.
The agency has previously filed two charge sheets in the Bhandari case, even as it continued probing the arms dealer’s alleged links with Vadra related to the London house. Now, both properties are under investigation as “proceeds of crime” under the PMLA framework, which allows authorities to attach and confiscate assets derived from criminal activity. The ED alleges that “Vadra played a role in assisting Bhandari and using the property at 12, Bryanston Square, London, which was the proceeds of crime”.
Sanjay Bhandari Declared Fugitive Economic Offender
Bhandari, whose extradition request was rejected by a UK court, was declared a fugitive economic offender by a Delhi court in July 2025. This designation under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act allows Indian authorities to confiscate the assets of economic offenders who have fled the country to escape prosecution. The 63-year-old arms consultant fled to London in 2016 immediately after the Income Tax Department conducted raids on his Delhi premises, effectively putting himself beyond the reach of Indian law enforcement.
The UK court’s rejection of India’s extradition request means Bhandari will remain in London and cannot be brought back to face trial in India, complicating the prosecution’s case and making documentary evidence and witness testimony from Vadra and others even more critical.
Vadra Denies All Allegations, Calls it Witch-Hunt
Robert Vadra has consistently denied these allegations and accused the ED of harassing him through politically motivated investigations. Vadra has categorically denied owning any property in London directly or indirectly, either in his own name or through benami arrangements. Following the filing of the chargesheet, Vadra responded by calling the investigation a “witch-hunt” against him and his family.
Recently, Robert Vadra denied media reports alleging he was evading ED summons or failing to cooperate with the investigation. His lawyer, Suman Jyoti Khaitan, clarified that the news was completely false and without a factual basis. The lawyer stated that Vadra has fully complied with all ED summons and document demands over the past decade since investigations against him began, appearing for questioning whenever called and providing all requested documentation.
Political Implications and Congress Response
Currently, there has been no official response from Vadra or the Congress party regarding the latest chargesheet filed against him. However, the timing of the chargesheet, coming during the election season and shortly after Priyanka Gandhi Vadra entered Parliament as an MP from Wayanad, Kerala, has raised questions about potential political motivations. Congress leaders have in the past characterised ED investigations against opposition leaders as politically motivated attempts to harass and intimidate critics of the government.
The case has the potential to become a major political flashpoint, with the ruling party likely to highlight the chargesheet as evidence of corruption in the previous UPA government era, while the Congress is expected to defend Vadra and question the timing and legitimacy of the prosecution. As the special PMLA court takes cognisance of the chargesheet in the coming weeks, the political temperature surrounding this high-profile case is expected to rise significantly.
