CC Thampi was summoned in the past for questioning on his alleged links with Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress President Sonia Gandhi (above). (File Photo)

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested NRI businessman CC Thampi, in connection with a money laundering case, officials said on Monday.

Thampi is being probed for alleged forex violations of over Rs 1,000 crore and other charges.

Thampi, a Dubai-based NRI is controller of Skylight Investments, FZE, Dubai and owner of Holiday Group. According to the ED, in 2009, Sanjay Bhandari's firm Santech FZE purchased 12 Bryanston Square property for 1.9 million pound sterling from a private holding called Vortex. As soon the property was sold, all shares of Vortex were purchased by Skylight Investments, Dubai.

Thampi is also being investigated and was earlier quizzed by the ED in Gurugram land scam.

Sources in the ED claimed that the agency came across several properties, including a property worth 1.9 million pounds, another property worth 4 million pounds, one more property worth 5 million pounds and six other flats. These properties are in London and the agency suspects it may be associated with Vadra. Total worth of properties is over 12 million pounds.

Accoridng to ED sources, London properties are part of kickbacks received in a petroleum deal.

During questioning last year, when Robert Vadra was asked how he knew CC Thampi, he said in a February 6, 2019 statement that he had met him onboard an Emirates flight.

CC Thampi's statement from April 6, 2017, however, stated that he met with Robert Vadra through Madhavan, who was the personal assistant of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.

The contradiction in the statements is being used as evidence by the ED. Thampi allegedly helped Robert Vadra in routing money through a channel of shell companies.

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