ED files chargesheet against Robert Vadra; alleges PMLA links to UK-based defence dealer Sanjay Bhandari

India's financial investigations arm, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), on Thursday, 20 November 2025, filed a chargesheet under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) alleging that entrepreneur Robert Vadra had certain links to the money-laundering case of UK-based defence dealer Sanjay Bhandari, reported the news agency ANI.

According to the agency report, Robert Vadra was granted an anticipatory bail in relation to the case by the Delhi High Court in 2019, after he was accused of certain links.

What does ED claim?

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleged that Robert Vadra is under the agency's investigation due to three separate money laundering cases, two of the same were related to potential links to irregularities in land transactions, as per the news report.

The agency report also highlighted that the ED has been investigating whether the funds generated through these land transaction deals were routed through offshore entities linked to UK-based defence dealer Sanjay Bhandari.

The recent development on ED filing Robert Vadra's name under its chargesheet comes forth, reportedly amid the larger investigation into Bhandari. According to media reports, Vadra is claimed to have facilitated questionable financial transactions and benefited from those dealings.

Vadra before ED

In July 2025, Robert Vadra appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in 2025, where the authorities recorded his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in relation to the money laundering investigations, according to the agency report.

While Sanjay Bhandari, who is allegedly known to Vadra, has fled to London, England in 2016, soon after the Income Tax Department conducted searches at his premises in Delhi. The news report highlighted that later Bhandari was declared as a Fugitive Economic Offender (FEO) by a Delhi trial court.

However, Bhandari challenged the order before the Delhi High Court. In August, the Delhi High Court reserved its verdict on his plea contesting the trial court's decision under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, according to the agency report.

According to a report on 2 August 2025, the Rouse Avenue court in Delhi issued a notice to Robert Vadra and other accused in the money laundering complaint. The investigations were related to the land deal in Shikohpur village in Gurugram, Haryana.