The Enforcement Directorate filed a prosecution complaint against senior Congress leaders Rahul and Sonia Gandhi before a Delhi court on Tuesday. The chargesheet also names Congress Overseas Chief Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey and others in connection with the alleged National Herald money laundering case. The Rouse Avenue Court has since scheduled a hearing for cognisance arguments on April 25.
“A prosecution complaint has been filed under Sections 44 and 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, for the commission of the offence of money laundering, as defined under Section 3, read with Section 70, and punishable under Section 4 of the PMLA, 2002,” news agency ANI quoted the probe agency as saying.
The development comes days after the central probe agency issued notices for the possession of key properties linked to the Gandhis. The ED had sought vacation of premises after attaching properties worth Rs 661 crore in the case — including Herald House in Delhi and the Associated Journals Limited building in Lucknow. A separate notice was sent to Jindal South West Projects — who currently occupy three floors of Herald House in Mumbai — directing them to deposit all future rent payments with the central agency.
Meanwhile senior Congress leader Robert Vadra also remains under ED scrutiny over an unrelated case. The probe agency recorded his statement on Tuesday in connection with a money laundering case linked to the 2008 Haryana land deal row. The businessman — who also happens to be the brother-in-law of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi — has repeatedly insisted that the summons stemmed from a ‘political vendetta’.
The ‘National Herald case’ pertains to pertains to allegations of financial irregularities and misappropriation of funds pertaining to the acquisition of Associated Journals by Young Indian. The original complaint was filed by former BJP MP Subramanian Swamy and alleged that YIL had taken over the assets in a ‘malicious’ bid to acquire properties worth more than Rs 2000 crore. The National Herald is published by AJL and owned by Young Indian Private Limited. Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are majority shareholders of Young Indian — each holding 38%.