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Updated: September 21, 2022 20:31 IS
New Delhi [India]SEPTEMBER 21 (ANI): Businessman Robert Vadra on Wednesday issued an unconditional apology for allegedly violating terms and conditions for travel to the UK, Italy and Spain.
CBI Special Judge Neelofar Abida Parveen of the Rouse Avenue Court on Wednesday reserved the right to order a plea from ED to forfeit a fixed deposit and bring an adulthood case against Vadra for violating the court-imposed conditions on foreign travel.
During the hearing, Vadra offered an unconditional apology in court, although the ED said action should be taken against Vadra. In an affidavit, Vadra said he made an accidental mistake and wrote “about Dubai” instead of “to Dubai” in his travel permit application.
Lead attorney Abhishek Manu Singhavi, who acted for Robert Vadra, submitted, “I undoubtedly made a mistake.” The judge said, “You should have asked permission.”
Abhishekh Manu Singhvi stated, “An error has occurred. I clearly had no intention of misleading. There was no intention of saying X and doing Y to the judge.”
He added: “I apologize unreservedly for the mistake of writing ‘about the United Arab Emirates’. Forgive me the mistake.
ED’s attorney disagreed with this claim. Attorney NK Matta, Special Prosecutor (SPP) for ED, stated that Robert Vadra was ordered to provide the court with an address prior to his departure from India, adding that even after his return to India he did not provide details of places which he visited in Great Britain.
“ED did not object to the amended itinerary (which included a stopover in Dubai for 4 days) that we submitted on 22, 23 and 24 August, Singhavi argued.
On Monday, the court expressed its displeasure with businessman Robert Vadra’s statement that he was in Dubai due to a medical emergency in August this year when he traveled to the United Kingdom (UK) via the United Arab Emirates , and said this was a violation of the terms and conditions of the permission granted to him.
The court had also issued a memorandum on the occasion asking Vadra, husband of Congress Chair Priyanka Gandhi, why his Fixed Deposit Receipt (FDR), issued under an order dated 12
Special Judge Neelofar Abida Parveen said on Monday that she could not accept applicant Vadra’s allegation, mentioned in the affidavit, that under the circumstances the applicant was forced or coerced to remain in the UAE due to medical needs.
The court further overlooked that the copy of the travel tickets indicated that Vadra was to stay in Dubai from August 25-29, then he would travel to London on August 29.
The court had granted Robert Vadra permission on August 12 to travel to the United Kingdom for four weeks via the United Arab Emirates, Spain and Italy. The court had found that the flight and hotel details mentioned in Robert Vadra’s said undertaking clearly indicated that he would be traveling to the UK via the UAE as permitted by that court.
Vadra said in his affidavit that he stayed in the United Arab Emirates before continuing his journey because he had deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his left leg and was advised to get adequate rest between long-haul flights.
During the said trip, he had to stop due to inflammation and pain in his left leg and seek medical advice on August 27 in Dubai at the LGA Medical Facilitation Center dedicated to medical emergencies for travelers in Dubai, where he received further medical treatment Vadra’s lawyer argued that this was recommended.
Vadra stated in his affidavit that his stoppage in the United Arab Emirates during said trip to the UK was not with the intention of violating any condition imposed, nor was there any attempt to deceive them, but because of medical necessity.
The court further noted that he had previously been permitted by that court to travel abroad for DVT treatment and counseling in 2019 and that relevant material documents had previously been filed.
The Senior Advocate KTS appeared for Robert Vadra, who had also submitted a medical certificate for the applicant. The court has further deferred the matter to September 21, 2022 for the filing of explanations and considerations.
The Robert Vadra is currently on bail in a money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). (ANI)
