‘Was Forced To Buy Rs. 2 Cr Painting From Gandhis’

Tainted YES Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor has made startling allegations against the Gandhis. He told the ED that the Gandhi family had “forced” him to buy an MF Husain painting worth Rs. 2 crore from Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Rana Kapoor further revealed that the money was utilised to cover Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s medical treatment expenses in New York.

Rana Kapoor told the ED that the formalities for closing the deal were held at Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s office. He also alleged that he was told by the then petroleum minister Murli Deora that it would be difficult for him to build a relationship with the Gandhi family and also get the ‘Padma Bhushan’ award if he didn’t buy the painting, which he later purchased reluctantly.

Rana Kapoor went on to reveal that he had paid a cheque of Rs. 2 crore and that Milind Deora (son of late Murli Deora and former Congress MP) later told to him confidentially during a dinner at his Lodhi bungalow in Delhi that the sale proceeds were used by the Gandhis for Sonia Gandhi’s medical treatment in New York”.

In yet another revelation, Rana Kapoor also told the ED that Ahmed Patel, senior Congress leader and Sonia Gandhi’s close confidante, had told him that his name would be duly considered for the ‘Padma Bhushan’ award for his timely support to the Gandhis during Sonia’s treatment.

The ED mentioned Rana Kapoor’s allegations in the second supplementary chargesheet submitted to a special court in Mumbai against Rana Kapoor, his family, Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL) promoters Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan, and others in a money laundering case. Rana has been in judicial custody ever since his arrest in March 2020 for alleged money laundering to the tune of Rs 5,050 crore.