Rajasthan: CBI to probe 18 land deals, including Robert Vadra-linked firm

The Central Bureau of Investigation registered first information reports in 18 cases of alleged irregularities in land deals by companies in Rajasthan’s Bikaner, including one linked to Robert Vadra, Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law.

Among the 18 FIRs registered by the central agency, 16 were lodged at the Gajner police station while two at Kolayat police station in Bikaner. The cases were referred to the CBI by the Centre on the request of the Rajasthan government, who had written to the CBI for a probe.

Four of the 18 cases being probed are against Robert Vadra’s company. All companies were allegedly involved in illegal purchase of nearly 1,400 bigha land in fake names, Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria had said after referring the matter to the CBI.

Reacting to this, state Congress president Sachin Pilot was quoted as saying, “BJP misuses CBI, ED (Enforcement Directorate) and other agencies for political gains. In this alleged land scam case, the state government had formed a committee but the committee’s findings were not disclosed by the government.” The state government had on December 31,

The state government on December 31, 2014 had cancelled 18 orders of ownership transfers in Bikaner after allegedly finding them to be illegal, The Indian Express reported.