New Delhi The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated the process to confiscate two properties in London in connection with its money laundering probe against fugitive arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, people familiar with the development said on Friday.

Read here: Vadra stayed in UK property under probe in PMLA case: ED

One of the properties at 12, Bryanston Square, London, acquired by Bhandari in 2009, is linked to former Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law, Robert Vadra, as it was “renovated” on his directions and using his funds, according to ED’s charge sheet in the case filed in November. The agency has also claimed that Vadra has stayed in this property “three-four times”.

The second property under the scanner is located at 6, Grosvenor Hill Court, 13 Bourdon Street, London. Both are being treated as “proceeds of crime” of Bhandari and NRI businessman C C Thampi under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

In its plea before a Delhi court, seen by HT, ED has stated that it seeks to “confiscate the proceeds of crime being properties no 12, BSQ London and 6 Grosvenor Hill Court, Bourdon Street, London”.

People aware of the process said that once the court issues orders for confiscation or attachment of these properties, an official request will be sent to concerned authorities in the UK through formal channels by the ministry of home affairs (MHA) and the ministry of external affairs (MEA).

The financial crimes probe agency has powers to attach and confiscate properties in foreign countries in connection with alleged economic offences. In December 2020, it attached former liquor baron Vijay Mallya’s properties worth ₹14 crore in France. Similarly, Karti Chidambaram’s assets in the UK and Spain, and diamantaire Nirav Modi’s properties in the UAE have been attached by it in the past.

About the 12 Bryanston Square property, the ED charge sheet has stated Bhandari acquired it in 2009 and got it renovated “as per the directions of Robert Vadra and the funds for renovation were provided by Robert Vadra”.

Thampi, named as accused in the charge sheet, has claimed before the agency that Vadra “stayed at this property 3-4 times”, according to the charge sheet. “The common thread with regard to the said (London) property starting from the date of acquisition to its use was CC Thampi, Sumit Chadha and Robert Vadra,” it added.

ED has claimed since 2020 that the property in question, worth 1.9 million pounds at the time, belongs to Vadra, and that Thampi played a crucial role in its purchase. Chadha is a British national who allegedly helped Thampi acquire the properties.

As first reported by HT on Thursday, Vadra and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra bought land in Haryana through a Delhi-based real estate agent who also sold land to Thampi, ED has alleged, while adding that Vadra and Thampi have a “long and thick” relationship that extends to “common and business interests”.

Though ED has named Robert Vadra in earlier charge sheets related to the case as a close aide of Thampi, this is the first time that Priyanka Gandhi has been mentioned in an official document submitted to court.

A press release by the agency on Tuesday, which HT reported, also mentioned Vadra in connection with the purchase of a property in London that is part of the probe.

While Vadra and Gandhi have not commented on ED’s claims, the Congress said on Thursday that it was a conspiracy by the ruling BJP. “Look at what they’ll do ahead of the elections, it’s just the beginning. They are not doing it for the first time, they hatch such conspiracies when elections approach. Let them hatch conspiracies,” said Congress leader Pawan Khera.

Read here: Three plots in Haryana: Probe in 2005-06 land transactions of Priyanka, Vadra on, says ED

The BJP denied the charge. “If something has come out from ED, it’s essentially based on investigation. So what has the political party got to do with it? It is your karma,” BJP national spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said.