Sanjay Bhandari admits exchanging e-mails with Robert Vadra, I-T sends notices to foreign nations

Sonia Gandhi accused PM Narendra Modi of behaving like a "Shehenshah".

New Delhi: In a huge trouble for Robert Vadra, alleged arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari has admitted before Income Tax officials that e-mails were exchanged among him, the son-in-law of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and his assistant Manoj Arora, a report said on Wednesday.

During his interrogation, Bhandari is reported to have confessed that an e-mail dated April 04, 2010, was sent by Vadra's personal ID and signed off by him. Bhandari confirmed that the e-mails were exchanged to finalise the interiors of an apartment in London, a report published in 'The Indian Express' said.

I-T officials had searched the office premises of the defence consultant between April 27 and April 30.

After questioning Bhandari and closely monitoring the e-mails, the I-T sent requests to several countries for details regarding Bhandari's involvement in the particular deal.

The requests were sent to British Virgin Islands, the United Kingdom and Dubai.

The property which is in limelight is 12 Ellerton House, Bryanston Square, which was bought for Rs 19 crores in October 2009 and sold in June 2010.

Bhandari is the the owner of Offset India Solutions (OIS), which was “red-flagged by the Intelligence Bureau soon after the Modi government assumed PM office and advised the Defence Ministry to keep it at a distance”.

Meanwhile, the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were engaged in a political slugfest over charges against Vadra.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday backed her son-in-law Robert Vadra over the allegation that he owns a 'benami' property in London and termed the charge a political conspiracy.

She accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of behaving like a "Shehenshah".

Coming out in open defence of her son-in-law for the first time, Sonia said, "This is also a political conspiracy. What do you mean by Congress-mukt Bharat? Everyday they give excuses and level wrong allegations."