RTI seeks source of Priyanka’s income

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 20

RTI activist Devashish Bhattacharya, who had earlier filed an application under the RTI Act seeking details of the land purchased by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at Chharabra near Shimla, today filed a complaint with the Enforcement Directorate against her.

He demanded that Priyanka should be asked to prove the legitimacy of her income source and in case, she fails to do so, action under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) Act should be taken.

Bhattacharya, in his complaint, stated that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, daughter of AICC president Sonia Gandhi, purchased chunks of land in 2007, 2011 and 2013, reportedly in her own name and started building the house. She demolished the half-built house and again started its construction which is nearing completion. The activist pointed out: “As per information received through the RTI, she had intimated the Directorate of Estate in 2002 that she was not in a position to pay the enhanced rent amounting Rs 53,000 per month for 35, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi, where she was living and the amount was considerably reduced.

The complainant said if Priyanka did not have any source of income, from where did she get funds to purchase a huge chunk of land and build a house. “If the payments have been made from her own income, the details of banks and cheques should be furnished,” he said.

In another complaint to the CBI, Bhattacharya demanded an inquiry against all officials who facilitated the purchase of land by Priyanka in violation of Section 118 of the HP Tenancy and Land Reforms Act.

He said under Section 118 of the Act, no non-agriculturist could purchase more than 500 sq m for constructing a house and 4 acres of land for horticulture. The purchase can be made only once, but in case of Priyanka, the permission was given thrice and she was allowed to purchase over 4 bighas. He said the state government had refused to give information about the permission for land purchase whereas similar information pertaining to the land purchased by Prashant Bhushan was given.

He said he did not have any hope to get this matter investigated by the government and requested the CBI to initiate the inquiry against the entire chain of bureaucracy which blatantly violated the provisions of the Act. He demanded that they should be charge-sheeted and the land purchased by Priyanka be declared null and void by the CBI court.