July 18, 2025: Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has come out strongly against the Enforcement Directorate (ED)’s recent chargesheet filed against his brother-in-law, Robert Vadra, calling it a continuation of a decade-long “political witch-hunt” orchestrated by the central government.
The ED on Thursday filed a prosecution complaint against Vadra in a money laundering case tied to a land deal in Shikohpur, Haryana, marking the first time the businessman has been officially named in a criminal case by any investigative agency.
“My brother-in-law has been hounded by this government for the last ten years. This latest chargesheet is a continuation of that witch hunt,” Gandhi said in a statement posted on social media platform X.
Standing firmly by his family, he added, “I stand with Robert, Priyanka and their children as they face yet another onslaught of malicious, politically motivated slander and harassment. The truth will eventually prevail.”
Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewala also denounced the charges, accusing the Modi government of using institutions to settle political scores. “Since when have sale and purchase of property (3.5 acres of land in this case) become illegal or criminal?” he asked, asserting that there was “not an iota of illegality.”
Meanwhile, Vadra’s office issued a formal statement, branding the ED’s actions as a politically driven attack. “The present proceedings are nothing more than an extension of the political witch-hunt by the present government against him,” it read.
The chargesheet comes after the ED attached 43 immovable properties worth ₹37.64 crore across five states, including Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Gujarat. Many of these properties are reportedly linked to Vadra and entities like Sky Light Hospitality Pvt. Ltd.
With the political climate heating up ahead of state elections and the 2026 general election buildup, the Congress has vowed to defend Vadra and expose what it calls the “vindictive misuse” of investigative agencies.