Robert Vadra

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Robert Vadra
Born Robert Vadra..
(1969-05-18) 18 May 1969
Nationality  India
Occupation Trader

Robert Vadra is an Indian businessman and the husband of Priyanka Vadra, and a controversial figure in India.[1][2][3] He is the son-in-law of Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, and a member of the Nehru family by marriage. In the recent times, he is being highlighted in media because for his relations and land dealings with DLF group [citation needed].

Biography

Robert Vadra was born to Rajendra and Maureen Vadra on 18 May 1969. Rajendra Vadra hails from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, and Maureen (née McDonagh) was of Scottish origin.[4] Rajendra was a resident of Civil Lines area of Moradabad and ran a brass and wood handicrafts business. The family is originally from Sialkot, Pakistan, and Rajendra's father moved to India at the time of partition. Robert Vadra, who studied at the British school[citation needed], had two siblings, Richard and Michelle.[5][6]

Vadra met Priyanka Gandhi when she was aged 13 and they married in 1997. The couple have two children: a son Raihan and daughter Miraya.[7] Vadra has a keen interest in fitness.

Vadra was estranged from his father, who had "expressed displeasure" with his marriage to Priyanka.[6] Robert Vadra issued a public notice in 2001 stating that his father Rajendra and brother Richard, were "duping" people by promising jobs at the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee and other favours. Rajendra later threatened to file a defamation suit against his son.[6]

Rajendra Vadra, father of Robert Vadra was found dead at a guest house in Yusuf Sarai area of New Delhi in 2009. His elder brother Richard committed suicide in 2003 and Michelle, his sister, died in a car accident in 2001.[6][7]

Businesses

  • Rents from DLF Limited for purchase of land, India's largest real estate conglomerate.[8]
  • Sky Light Hospitality Pvt Ltd (owned by Vadra and his mother Maureen Vadra), is a partner in a firm that owns Hilton Garden Inn in the South Delhi business district Saket. DLF Hotel Holdings is another partner in this firm.[9]
  • North India IT Parks Pvt Ltd
  • Real Earth Estates Pvt Ltd
  • Sky Light Realty Pvt Ltd.

Controversies

VVIP Status Controversy

Vadra has been exempted from frisking at airports when travelling with other SPG protectees. The list of such VIPs was compiled and forwarded to the authorities concerned by the Government of India on 26 September 2005. Others on the list include the President, the Prime Minister, former Presidents and PMs and SPG protectees.[10] This move has come under scrutiny since more important entities on the warrant of precedence. BCAS Commissioner S. R. Mehra declined comment.[11]

According to an RTI reply given to a group called RTI Anonymous in March this year, P. Chidambaram’s Office gave Vadra this exemption because he is a Special Case. The reply had this to say: Shri Robert Vadra has been granted exemption from pre-embarkation security checks at all civil airports in the country on the recommendation of this ministry as a special case as he is married to a SPG protectee, i.e. Smt Priyanka Vadra, in consultation with central security agencies. [12] His "SPG protectee" wife, however, does not enjoy this VIP status. This happened despite his bodyguard being caught with a pistol inside the Parliament.[13]

Vadra-DLF Controversy

In October 2012, Arvind Kejriwal accused Vadra of taking an interest-free loan of 65 crores and heavy bargains on land from DLF Limited in exchange for political favors. DLF responded that it had dealt with Vadra as a private entrepreneur, that the loan was Business Advance which was given, as per practice of trade, to make payments for land purchased from Vadra, that the company did not sell him land at a throwaway price, and that no quid pro quo took place.[14]

His Facebook comment “Mango people in a banana republic" that was later deleted, had become widespread punch line for the news reporters and the public to talk about.[15][16]

On Monday, 8 October 2012, his Facebook account was shut, days after a controversy broke out over his business deals with realty major DLF. Civil society activist Arvind Kejriwal had raised questions over the rise in his fortune. In his account on Twitter, Kejriwal tweeted, “Evidence pouring in from mango men from across the country. Mango men would prove to be nemesis for the powerful.”[17]

Numerous reports have questioned veracity of balance-sheets of Vadra-owned companies, which claim to have received an overdraft of 7.94 crores from Corporation Bank. Corporation Bank has now denied ever providing an overdraft facility to that amount.[18]

In response to the alleged DLF-Vadra controversy, the entire Congress came out to defend Vadra.[19][20] After a few days when another controversy about the alleged financial irregularaties in an NGO run by congressman and then-law minister Salman Khurshid broke out, Rajdeep Sardesai had tweeted:
"Irony: when law min in dock, no UPA minister there to defend him. When Vadra in dock, cabinet ministers line up to defend."[21]

References

  1. ↑ http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/controversy-erupts-over-robert-vadras-mango-men-in-banana-republic-comment_804531.html
  2. ↑ http://www.livemint.com/Politics/bIyiB4vh8SxBgjy54H1BGP/DLFRobert-Vadra-controversy-A-news-roundup.html
  3. ↑ http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-robert-vadra-not-new-to-controversy/20121008.htm
  4. ↑ "Another tragedy in Vadra family", The Times of India, 20 September 2003.
  5. ↑ "Priyanka’s father-in-law found dead in guesthouse", Indian Express, 4 April 2009.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Priyanka's father-in-law hanged himself: Police sources", The Times of India, 3 April 2009.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Who is Robert Vadra?", India Today, 10 October 2012. Retrieved on 15 February 2013.
  8. ↑ National Real Estate Development Council. Naredco.in. Retrieved on 13 October 2011.
  9. ↑ "Robert Vadra ties up with DLF, makes low-key entry into Real estate business" by Rohini Singh & Sruthijith KK, Economic Times, 14 March 2011, 02.30am IST
  10. ↑ Ruchi Srivastava, "Robert, these are the plane truths...". The Times of India (22 January 2006). Retrieved on 13 October 2011.
  11. ↑ 's~Son-in-law "No security checks: After Dalai Lama, Robert Vadra only one named in VIP list", The Indian Express, 13 November 2005.
  12. ↑ Pranab Biswas (12 March 2012). Ministry of Home Affairs document. JPG image. scribdassets.com
  13. ↑ "Priyanka guard’s gun steals Rahul thunder – Family turns up for young MP’s big day in Parliament, but security breach has first say", The Telegraph of India, 10 March 2006.
  14. ↑ "Full statement: DLF denies Kejriwal's allegations", NDTV, 6 October 2012. Retrieved on 15 February 2013.
  15. ↑ Veeresh Malik (8 October 2012) , "Mango People in Banana Republic", The Times of India. Blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved on 15 February 2013.
  16. ↑ "IAC asks Vadra to apologise for 'banana republic' FB post", Moneycontrol, 8 October 2012. Retrieved on 15 February 2013.
  17. ↑ "Vadra's Facebook Account Deleted". The Hindu. 8 October 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2012. 
  18. ↑ "Corporation Bank denies giving overdraft to Robert Vadra", The Times of India, 13 October 2012. Retrieved on 15 February 2013.
  19. ↑ Modi slams Congress for defending Vadra – India – DNA. Dnaindia.com (14 October 2012). Retrieved on 15 February 2013.
  20. ↑ "Congress defends Vadra, BJP demands judicial probe", Yahoo News, 5 October 2012. Retrieved on 15 February 2013.
  21. ↑ Twitter / sardesairajdeep: Irony: when law min in dock. Twitter.com. Retrieved on 2013-02-15.

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