BJP drags Priyanka into ‘graft in land deal’

New Delhi, March 13 (IANS) The BJP on Wednesday dragged Congress General Secretary and and Rahul Gandhi's sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra into alleged corruption involving land deal in Haryana's Faridabad.

Addressing media, Union Minister Smriti Irani said the news reports have brought to the fore a relation between H.L. Pahwa, alleged to be on the payroll of C.C. Thampi, who is connected to both alleged arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari and Priyanka's husband Robert Vadra.

"Gandhi (Rahul) has procured land from H.L. Pahwa through a conduit-representative Mahesh Nagar. Nagar also represented Vadra in land purchasing case under investigation in Haryana and Rajasthan," Irani said.

She said H.L. Pahwa had a similar give-and-take with Priyanka Vadra as well.

According to the documents issued by BJP, Priyanka bought 5-acre land in Faridabad from Pahwa in Amipur village for Rs 15 lakh. She sold this land back to Pahwa in Rs 80 lakh in June 2009.

Irani said what was also brought to light was a connection between Pahwa and Vadra in the land purchase as news reports highlight the financial inability of Pahwa to get into a financial arrangement with Gandhi-Vadra family.

"Hence to support the financial relationship, reports have suggested that Pahwa was suitably financed and supported by C.C. Thampi. Investigation have found a money trail between Thampi and Pahwa amounting to Rs 54 crore," Irani added.

Pahwa's economic condition wasn't good enough to buy back the same land at an inflated rate which he had first sold to the Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

"That is why a person named C.C. Thampi gave him over Rs 50 crore," she said.