WAYANAD: Now, at last, the second scion of the Congress’s first family has entered the electoral race. Priyanka filed the nomination to the bye-election to the Wayanad Parliamentary constituency. Now the affidavit she has submitted raises several questions and has put her in the dock, more so since she spoke about the incumbent BJP government doing little for the poor. However, her election affidavit shows the massive wealth that has been accumulated by her and her husband Robert Vadra.
According to reports, Robert Vadra’s income has decreased from Rs 55 lakhs to Rs 15 lakhs during the last four years, which is the second stint of the Modi regime. But, Priyanka Gandhi’s income, despite some fluctuations, has increased. Her assets include movable assets worth Rs 4.24 cr and immovable assets worth Rs 7.74 crore. She has two FIRs filed against her and is undergoing tax reassessment proceedings. The above data are quoted from the election affidavit Priyanka submitted on October 23.
BREAKING: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra while filing nomination lists pending tax disputes in ITAT that date back to several years. The liabilities under dispute in her declaration form are an eye catching number. See below. pic.twitter.com/4JLM7uf6pr
— Rahul Shivshankar (@RShivshankar) October 23, 2024
According to the affidavit, Robert Vadra’s total income during the Fiscal Year 2019 – 2020 was Rs 55.58 lakhs. But, it came down to Rs 11.38 lakhs in the Fiscal Year of 2020 – 2021. It again showed a downward trend as Rs 9.03 lakhs in 2021 -2022, Rs 9.35 lakh in 2022 – 2023 and Rs 15.09 lakhs in 2023 – 2024.
The same time Priyanka Vadra’s income shows upward trend despite some fluctuations. The affidavit reportedly shows Rs 69 lakhs in the Fiscal Year of 2019 – 2020, Rs 19.81 lakhs in 2020 – 2021, Rs 45.56 lakhs in 2021 – 2022, Rs 47.21 lakhs 2022 – 2023 and Rs 46.39 lakhs in 2023 – 2024. The income includes rent and interest from banks and other investments. Priyanka’s movable assets are worth over Rs 4.24 crore including three bank accounts, investments in mutual funds, PPF, a Honda CRV car gifted by her husband and over 4,400 grams of gold worth Rs 1.15 crore. Her immovable assets are worth more than Rs 7.74 crore including two inherited half-shares of agricultural land in Mehrauli, New Delhi, and a half share in a farmhouse building; altogether are now valued at over Rs 2.10 crore. On top of these, she owns a self-acquired residential property in Shimla. It is worth over Rs 5.63 cr. Her reported liabilities are worth Rs 15.75 lakhs.
Priyanka Gandhi filled her affidavit declaring her assets totalled at just ₹77 crores.
Her Shimla residence itself will be valued at ₹100 crore easily pic.twitter.com/sqKRquyc8F
— Rishi Bagree (@rishibagree) October 23, 2024
Priyanka undergoes Income Tax reassessment proceedings for the Fiscal Year 2012 – 2013. As per the affidavit she is supposed to pay over Rs 15 lakhs as taxes.
The affidavit speaks out that Priyanaka faces two separate FIRs. One was registered in Madhya Pradesh in 2023. It was under IPC Sections 420 (cheating) and 469 (forgery). It was based on private complaints for alleged misleading tweets. The second was registered in Uttar Pradesh in 2020. It was under Sections 188 (disobedience to a public servant’s order), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection), and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection) of the IPC for the protest against the Hathras incident.
Both Priyanka and Rahul were charged for the alleged violation of Prohibitory Order under CrPC Section 144 and the Epidemic Diseases Act during their march towards Hathras to meet the family of a Dalit rape victim in 2020.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesman Pradeep Bhandari said, Priyanka’s income and assets are suspicious. He wondered what is the source of Priyanka’s income. He alleged that Priyanka has abused Bharat’s Share Market. He asked if Priyanka is involved in her husband’s land deals. He alleged that Priyanka has shown wrong and twisted figures in the affidavit she submitted along with the nomination paper before the Wayanad District Collector; During Congress regime, back in 2013, when Bhupendra Hooda was the chief minister of Haryana, Robert Vadra had purchases acres of land at low prices; its price might have increased five folds. Vadra has done land deals in New Delhi as well. Therefore, her asset and income might be much higher than what she has stated in her affidavit, BJP spokesman alleged.
There are several allegations against the abuse of share market by the brother-sister duo. The Income Tax assessment order in 2022 says as follows:
“To fulfil the objective of acquiring 100 per cent shares of Associated Journal Limited (AJL), one of the majority shareholders of the assesse (Young India), Rahul, along with Priyanka Vadra, had purchased additional 47,513 and 2,62,411 shares through Rattan Deep Trust and Janhit Nidhi Trust respectively without complying with Companies Act”. But, this acquisition of shares is not mentioned in the Affidavit Priyanka filed along with the nomination paper. Then the question arises ‘what happened to those shares’?
Income Tax department’s assessment order in 2022 said:
“To fulfill the objective of acquiring 100 per cent shares of AJL, one of the majority shareholders of the assessee (Young India). Rahul, along with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, had purchased additional 47,513 and 2,62,411 shares… pic.twitter.com/5zdrEgwRca
— Rahul Shivshankar (@RShivshankar) October 24, 2024
ITA No. 1251-Del.2019 reads as follows.
AJL allotted 90,21,68,980 shares to Young Indian on February 26, 2011 in lieu of assignment of loan of Rs 90 cr to Young India.
- Young Indian paid Rs 50 lakh to All India Congress Committee (AICC) on March 1, 2011 for loan of Rs 90 cr which was assigned to it on December 16, 2010
- Young Indian did not disclose the transaction of loan of Rs 90 cr at paltry sum of rs 50 lakhs in its Profit & Loss Account. The same was camouflaged as expenditure on prescribed object of the Young Indian
- The Young Indian citing the object of the company obtained registration under Section 12A of the Income Tax Act on May 9, 2011 so that value of all benefits from real estate business of the AJL gets tax exemption.
In order to achieve the object of taking over 100 per cent shares of the AJL by Young Indian and Sonia Gandhi MP and Rahul Gandhi MP, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also purchased additional 47,513 and 26,244 shares of the AJL through Rattan Deep Trust and Janhit Nidhi Trust respectively. Please see copy of the massive Rs 76 cr Income Tax dues/penalties/assessment orders passed by IT Department against Priyanka Gandhi in the last few years and the relevant documents for the readership.
