In its supplementary chargesheet at the PMLA court, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has finally established a direct connection between the Gandhi son-in-law Robert Vadra, CC Thampi and arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. In a 84-page chargesheet, the ED has detailed how Robert Vadra was linked to Bhandari through a London property and how Vadra came in contact with CC Thampi, a crucial link in the case.
The chargesheet reveals that it was Sonia Gandhi’s PA, Madhavan, who introduced Vadra to Thampi. Cheruvathur Chakkutty Thampi, a Delhi-based real estate dealer, is the accused no 7 in ED’s PMLA case against Sanjay Bhandari and his associates.
The ED, on the chargesheet submitted on 22nd December to the Special Court, mentions that CC Thampi, who worked for the absconding arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, is a close aide of Robert Vadra – the husband of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. The ED established the link in the supplementary chargesheet filed against CC Thampi and Sumit Chadha (said to be a close relative of Sanjay Bhandari) in a money laundering case. This is the first time that ED has named Vadra in their chargesheet.
Establishing the role of Sonia Gandhi’s PA in the matter, the charge sheet’s page 43 read, “During the course of investigation in the case, statements of Sh. CCT (CC Thambi) were recorded under Section 50 of PMLA on various dates. In his statement recorded on 19.06.2019, Sh. CCT stated that he knew Sh. Robert Vadra for more than ten years, and he (Sh. Robert Vadra) was initially introduced to him (Sh. CCT) by Mr. Madhavan, P.A. to Smt. Sonia Gandhi.”
PP Madhavan has been Sonia Gandhi’s PA for a long time. In June 2022, he was accused of rape by a Dalit woman. However, Madhavan had stated that the charges against him were baseless.
The ED case against Sanjay Bhandari and its links to the Gandhi family
The Enforcement Directorate has named Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Sonia Gandhi and husband of Priyanka Gandhi, in a money laundering case linked to CC Thampi and arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. In ED’s supplementary chargesheet, it was established that Thampi was a close associate of Vadra. The connection was revealed through financial transactions, including the renovation of a London property and land deals in Faridabad.
Furthermore, links between Rahul Gandhi and CC Thampi were revealed, and it was suggested that HL Pahwa, reportedly funded by Thampi, was involved in the case. Priyanka Gandhi purchased land from Pahwa at a reduced price. The land was later sold back at an inflated price. The funds for these transactions were reportedly provided by Thampi. Our detailed report on the matter can be checked here. OpIndia had broken the HL Pahwa story and Priyanka Vadra connection back in 2019.
