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Cash paid for tickets, difficult to prove Bhandari-Vadra link: I-T sleuths

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8 years ago

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Cash paid for tickets, difficult to prove Bhandari-Vadra link: I-T sleuths

Income tax officials say Paharganj-based travel agency which booked Vadra’s business class air tickets for Zurich had received cash payments

While the Congress and BJP trade charges against each other over a Times Now report which claimed that absconding arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari had, in August 2012, booked business class air tickets for Robert Vadra’s travel to Zurich, tax officials claim that the said air fare was paid for in cash and no trail of where the money came from could be proved during a probe.

The claims by I-T officials who spoke anonymously to The Indian Express appear to take the steam out of the political attacks made by the BJP against the Congress party’s first family at a time when the saffron party too finds itself in a spot over allegations that Jay Shah, son of BJP national president Amit Shah, saw a 16000-times hike in his company’s turnover in the years that followed Narendra Modi’s stunning rise as the country’s Prime Minister in May 2014.

The Times Now ‘expose’ against Vadra, the controversial husband of Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka Gandhi, had come days after online portal The Wire published the report about Jay Shah’s meteoric rise in wealth. The Congress has questioned the timing of the report over Vadra, claiming that it was deliberately being circulated by the BJP to deflect media and public attention from the allegations against Jay Shah.

However, while the conjectures arising out of the article on Jay Shah are largely based on tax returns and official filings made by the company of the BJP national president’s son, the allegations being made against Robert Vadra over his alleged links with Sanjay Bhandari are reportedly based on an email trail exchanged between the two, with little evidence to actually prove the money trail.

On Wednesday, The Indian Express said that income tax officials believe that the probe into the alleged payment by Sanjay Bhandari of air tickets for Vadra’s travel to Zurich had “virtually reached a dead end”. The newspaper claimed that: “when tax sleuths approached the Paharganj-based travel agency (International Travel Home) through which the air passage had been booked, they were informed that the payments were received in cash and they had no recollection whether the money was handed over to them by someone from either Sanjay Bhandari’s side or Robert Vadra’s side.”

The Indian Express report also anonymously quoted a senior I-T official as saying: “If the payments for the flights had been made by cheque, we could have traced the person who made the payments. But since the payments were made in cash there is nothing to dig deeper. And an amount of between Rs 8 lakh-Rs 10 lakh is too small an amount for us to call Robert Vadra over for questioning.”

The report added that the mail trail of ticket bookings for Zurich were located by them shortly after searches were conducted along with other mails connected to the renovation of a property in London ostensibly being done by Sanjay Bhandari for Robert Vadra.

Vadra and his lawyers have reportedly claimed that they had no communication with Sanjay Bhandari during the period for which the arms dealer is facing multiple probes by Indian agencies like the Enforcement Directorate and the I-T department.

The Times Now ‘expose’ however claims that: “According to the email trail, Bhandari bought tickets for the tainted businessman (Vadra) at a time when the arms dealer was being investigated for his role in swinging a jet trainer deal for Swiss company Pilatus. The fact that one of the tickets booked for Vadra was to Zurich, the financial capital of Switzerland, hints at his involvement in the Pilatus deal. However, there is no clarity on the issue as of now, and Times Now is awaiting a reply from his side.”

The BJP has latched on to the Times Now expose in an attempt to directly attack Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son, party vice president Rahul Gandhi over the Bhandari-Vadra links. On Tuesday, the BJP had fielded Union defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman to lead the party’s broadside against the Congress on the issue.

Sitharaman had said that the “studied silence” of Sonia and Rahul on the charges being leveled against Vadra will be construed as their acceptance of the allegations being true. Citing the Times Now report, Sitharaman had alleged that a London house linked to Vadra had been refurbished by Bhandari and that 7.5 lakh Swiss francs were deposited in a bank account of the arms dealer- possibly as payment for the renovation of Vadra’s London home.

“Why is the Congress vice-president, who has been emulating the Prime Minister in his tweets, maintaining a silence on this,” the defence minister had asked.

The Congress party had hit back at the BJP with its chief spokesperson, Randeep Singh Surjewala claiming that the allegations against Vadra were being raked up by the saffron party to “distract people from the accusations hurled against Jay Shah”.

“An unnerved and running scared BJP is on a ‘save Shah-Zada’ (a reference to Jay Shah) mission. Instead of ordering an inquiry into the business dealing of company owned by Amit Shah’s wife, daughter-in-law and son, which is being demanded by people in Opposition and even RSS, Nirmala Sitharaman is on an agenda of diversionary tactics but they will never succeed (sic),” Surjewala had said.

The Congress spokesperson had added that “the vicious witch-hunt and vendetta against Robert Vadra has continued for 41 months by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and yet not a single wrongdoing, violation of any law or a criminal misconduct has been established (against Vadra).”

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India and Russia vow to walk together against terrorism, reaffirm strategic partnership

PM Modi and President Putin reaffirm India-Russia unity against terrorism, deepen energy and trade cooperation, and discuss peace efforts amid the Ukraine conflict.

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4 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday underlined that India and Russia “walk together in the fight against terrorism,” reinforcing a decades-old strategic partnership that remains steady amid global geopolitical churn. The leaders issued the joint statement following talks at Hyderabad House in Delhi, where they also announced steps to boost trade, economic cooperation, and energy collaboration.

India-Russia stand firm on counter-terror cooperation

PM Modi described President Putin as a “dear friend” and highlighted Moscow’s consistent support to India on counter-terror efforts. Russia had earlier strongly condemned the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, allegedly linked to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, and reiterated solidarity with India’s fight against terrorism in all forms.

The joint remarks emphasized that the bilateral friendship, rooted in trust and mutual respect, has remained resilient for decades despite global challenges.

Focus on energy, trade and use of national currencies

A key highlight of the engagement was Russia reaffirming “uninterrupted shipments” of fuel to India. PM Modi expressed gratitude for Russia’s commitment, noting energy cooperation as a crucial pillar of the relationship. While he did not specifically mention oil purchases, given ongoing Western pressure, he emphasised cooperation in civil nuclear and clean energy.

The two countries also discussed expanding economic ties, including a possible free trade agreement. President Putin said bilateral trade was being targeted to reach USD 100 billion, and acknowledged progress toward using national currencies for payments — a remark expected to draw global attention.

Putin shares peace plan insights on Ukraine conflict

Putin briefed the Prime Minister on Russia’s perspective for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Ukraine war and appreciated India’s continued role as a “champion of peace.” PM Modi reiterated India’s consistent position on dialogue and diplomacy.

Agreements across jobs, health, shipping and minerals

Officials exchanged multiple agreements covering employment mobility, health, shipping, chemicals and cooperation in critical minerals — further broadening the strategic footprint of the partnership.

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RBI cuts repo rate to 5.25%, paving the way for cheaper loans

The RBI has cut the repo rate to 5.25%, aiming to support growth as inflation softens. The central bank also raised GDP projections and announced liquidity-boosting measures.

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9 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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Reserve Bank of India

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced the key repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25% on Thursday, signalling relief for borrowers as banks are expected to offer lower EMIs on home and vehicle loans. Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced the move after the conclusion of the three-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.

RBI prioritises growth as inflation eases

Malhotra said the decision was unanimous, with the central bank choosing to focus on supporting economic momentum despite concerns over a weak rupee. The repo rate was earlier cut in June from 6% to 5.5% amid easing inflation trends.

The RBI now projects Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation at 2% for FY2025-26, significantly softer than earlier estimates. For the first quarter of FY2026-27, inflation is expected at 3.9%, lower than the previous projection. The governor noted that rising precious metal prices may contribute to the headline CPI, but overall risks to inflation remain balanced.

GDP outlook strengthened

In a strong upward revision, the central bank increased the GDP forecast for the current financial year to 7.3%, previously estimated at 6.8%. Growth for the October–December quarter has also been revised to 6.7%.

The last quarter registered a six-quarter high expansion of 8.2%, reflecting resilient demand and steady credit flow.

“The growth-inflation balance continues to offer policy space,” Malhotra said, reiterating that the RBI’s stance remains neutral.

Other key decisions

Alongside the repo rate cut, the RBI announced adjustments to key policy corridors:

  • Standing Deposit Facility (SDF): 5%
  • Marginal Standing Facility (MSF): 5.5%

To improve liquidity and strengthen monetary transmission, the RBI will conduct forex swaps and purchase ₹1 lakh crore worth of government bonds through Open Market Operations (OMO).

RBI reviews a challenging year

Reflecting on 2025, Malhotra said the year delivered strong growth and moderate inflation even as global trade and geopolitical uncertainties persisted. He added that bank credit and retail lending remained healthy, providing support to the economy.

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India News

IndiGo flight chaos deepens as over 500 services cancelled, passengers stranded for hours

Over 500 IndiGo flights were cancelled nationwide, leaving passengers stranded without food, clarity or their luggage as airports struggled to manage the disruption.

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9 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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IndiGo flight

India’s largest airline continued to face massive operational breakdowns, triggering frustration among travellers at major airports across the country. From piles of unattended suitcases to passengers waiting over 12 hours without food or clarity, the disruption stretched into its fourth consecutive day.

Long delays, no communication leave passengers anguished

Several travellers at Delhi airport described the situation as “mental torture”, as thousands of unclaimed suitcases lay scattered across the terminal. Many slept on the floor, while others expressed anger over the lack of communication from airline staff.

One flier said he had been waiting for over 12 hours without any explanation: “Every time they say one-hour or two-hour delays. We were going to a wedding but don’t even have our luggage.”

A passenger in Hyderabad recounted a similar ordeal, saying the flight was delayed indefinitely with no food, water, or updates from the airline. At the airport, some travellers blocked an Air India flight in protest over the lack of arrangements.

Goa and Chennai airports also witnessed tense moments. Videos from Goa showed fliers shouting at IndiGo staff as police attempted to calm the situation. At Chennai, CISF denied entry to IndiGo passengers due to heavy congestion.

Major metro airports impacted; cascading cancellations nationwide

Flight cancellations and delays were reported across multiple airports:

  • Over 200 flights were cancelled in Delhi
  • More than 100 each in Mumbai and Bengaluru
  • Around 90 in Hyderabad
  • Dozens more in Pune, Vishakhapatnam, Chennai and Bhopal

Pune airport stated that parking bay congestion worsened the situation, as several IndiGo aircraft remained grounded due to lack of crew. Other airlines continued operations without disruption.

Airport authorities said they had mobilised additional manpower for crowd control and passenger support.

IndiGo admits planning lapses, says more cancellations expected

The airline acknowledged a “misjudgment” in assessing crew requirements under revised night-duty norms, which it said created planning gaps. Winter weather and airport congestion further aggravated the crisis.

IndiGo informed the aviation ministry and DGCA that some regulatory changes—such as the shift in night-duty timings and a cap on night landings—have been rolled back temporarily to stabilise operations.

The airline warned that cancellations may continue for another two to three days, and from December 8, schedules will be trimmed to prevent further disruption.

In a message to employees, CEO Pieter Elbers said restoring punctuality would not be an “easy target”.

Airline issues apology amid nationwide frustration

In a late-night statement, IndiGo apologised to customers and industry partners, acknowledging the widespread inconvenience caused by the disruptions. The airline said all teams were working with authorities to bring operations back to normal.

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