New Delhi, Dec 7 (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted raids at the premises of some close associates of Robert Vadra, son-in-law of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, according to his lawyer Suman Jyoti Khaitan.

Vadra, a businessman, is being investigated by the ED in connection with a land deal in Bikaner in Rajasthan. Khaitan claimed that the ED officials raided "close associates" and business partners of Vadra in Delhi without even showing any search warrants.

They locked up the premises from inside and are not allowing any access to those inside, even to the lawyers, he alleged. "Is this the rule of law? Evidence has been fabricated," he alleged while speaking to reporters.

The searches, carried out in Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru, were also related to cases of assets held abroad, they said. "The searches at the premises of the three people linked to firms of Vadra were related to alleged commissions received by some suspects in defence deals," an ED official claimed.

Meanwhile, the Congress on Friday slammed the ED raids against Robert Vadra's associates, saying an "unnerved" Modi government was unleashing "vendetta" against party chief Rahul Gandhi's brother-in-law to divert the narrative.

"Sure shot defeat in 5 States unnerves Modi Govt to again use the old tools - unleash revenge & vendetta against Mr. Robert Vadra to divert the narrative," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Twitter.

"Such cowardice & intimidation will not subjugate either the Congress Party or the will of people," he said.