Gandhi family 'bail parivar', corrupt: BJP

The BJP on Wednesday attacked Congress President Rahul Gandhi's brother-in-law Robert Vadra over kickbacks in the VVIP chopper scam and a petroleum deal in 2009, calling the Gandhi family "bail parivar" whose foundation was "built on corruption." Addressing media hours before Vadra appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in cases of money laundering, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra asked Rahul Gandhi to reveal Vadra's connection with Santech -- a UAE-based company used as a front to funnel money in the petro-deal.

He challenged Gandhi to explain how a "road-pati" became a "crorepati" referring to Vadra. "Poster of two criminals has been put up in front of Congress office. Both of them are out on bail; criminal number one Rahul Gandhi, in connection with National Herald case; and criminal number two, Robert Vadra (who appeared before ED today in connection with money laundering case)," Patra said.

He said that the 2019 general election will be fought between "corruption of Congress" and "transparent government of Narendra Modi". ED on Wednesday heard cases related to the ownership of 1.9 million pounds of undisclosed assets abroad, allegedly belonging to Vadra.

The ED also lodged a money laundering case against Vadra's close aide Manoj Arora after his role surfaced during a probe by the Income Tax Department into another case under the new Black Money Act and tax law against absconding arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. Patra accused Vadra of dealing with Agusta Westland broker Guido Haschke -- named as an accused by the CBI in the chopper scam-- in the sale of a property located in Delhi's upmarket Malcha Marg area.