Shikohpur Land Deal Case: Delhi Court Takes Cognisance Of ED Chargesheet Against Robert Vadra

Special Judge Sushant Changotra of the Rouse Avenue Court observed that the complaint and accompanying material disclosed sufficient grounds to proceed against Vadra and eight other accused persons. The court accordingly took cognisance of offences under Section 3 (money laundering) read with Section 70 (offences by companies) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), punishable under Section 4, and issued summons directing their appearance on May 16.

The ED had filed its prosecution complaint in July 2025 against Vadra—husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra—and 10 others. This marked the first instance of a probe agency filing a chargesheet against him in a criminal case.

At the stage of cognisance, the court clarified that its scrutiny is limited. It emphasised that it is only required to examine whether a prima facie case exists based on the averments in the complaint and the documents placed on record, without delving into a detailed evaluation of evidence. “The scope of inquiry at this stage is very narrow,” the court noted, adding that it was satisfied that there were sufficient grounds to proceed further.

Summons were issued not only to Vadra but also to several individuals and entities, including Kewal Singh Virk and companies such as Skylight Hospitality LLP (formerly Pvt Ltd), Sky Light Realty Pvt Ltd, Real Earth Estates LLP, Blue Breeze Trading LLP, North India IT Parks LLP, Lambodar Art Enterprises India LLP and SGY Properties Pvt Ltd (formerly Onkareshwar Properties Pvt Ltd).

However, the court declined to summon one of the accused, Satyanand Yajee, observing that the prosecution had failed to place even minimal material to prima facie establish his involvement in any activity connected with the proceeds of crime.

The case stems from a February 2008 transaction in which Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd, a company in which Vadra was previously a director, purchased approximately 3.5 acres of land in Shikohpur for ₹7.5 crore. The land was subsequently sold to real estate giant DLF in 2012 for ₹58 crore, resulting in a sharp escalation in value.

According to the ED, the transaction formed part of a larger scheme involving the generation and layering of proceeds of crime. The agency has alleged that undue benefits were extended during the process, including expedited mutation of the land and grant of development permissions, which significantly enhanced its market value.

The court also took note of the ED’s submission that further investigation is ongoing, particularly in relation to certain aspects of the transaction, including the role of other entities named in the predicate offence FIR. It expressed an expectation that the investigating agency would examine these elements thoroughly to ensure a comprehensive probe.

Importantly, the court rejected the defence contention that proceedings under the PMLA should be deferred until the conclusion of investigation in the predicate offence. It held that there is no legal bar on proceeding with a money laundering case even if the investigation in the scheduled offence is still underway.

The order further clarified that Vadra’s proprietary concern, Artex, does not enjoy a separate legal identity, and therefore, he could be held accountable for its alleged acts.

The case traces back to controversy surrounding the land deal, which first came under scrutiny in 2012 when IAS officer Ashok Khemka cancelled the mutation, citing procedural irregularities.

In a related news, in 2022, the Court had accepted Robert Vadra’s explanations that he stayed in Dubai for a medical emergency in August 2022, while traveling to the UK via UAE. Special Judge Neelofer Abida Perveen of the Rouse Avenue Court, Delhi had noted that Vadra tendered an unqualified and unconditional apology for the lapse, which is accepted in the circumstances mentioned in the affidavit, but he is warned to be cautious in the future. The show cause notice has thus been discharged.