ED Files Chargesheet Against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi In National Herald Case

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.

Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and LoP in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi attend the AICC session on the banks of the Sabarmati River, in Ahmedabad.

Source : PTI

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday filed a chargesheet in Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Congress Overseas Chief Sam Pitroda on charges of money laundering in the National Herald case.

 

Special judge Vishal Gogne examined the chargesheet, which was filed on April 9, on the point of cognisance. The court has scheduled the hearing of arguments for April 25.

 

The present prosecution complaint shall next be taken up for consideration on the aspect of cognisance before this court on April 25 when the special counsel for the ED and IO shall also ensure the production of the case diaries for perusal by the court, the judge said.

 

The case pertains to the allegations of financial irregularities and misappropriation of funds involving the acquisition of Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which once published the National Herald newspaper.

 

AJL, the publisher of the National Herald newspaper and digital platform, is controlled by Young Indian Private Limited — a company in which both Sonia and Rahul Gandhi hold a 38% stake. 

 

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, who first filed a complaint in the matter, alleged that Young Indian took over AJL's assets in a 'malicious manner' to gain control of properties worth over Rs 2,000 crore. He further alleged that Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, the late Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda and others were involved in a criminal conspiracy to fraudulently acquire AJL’s assets — valued at over Rs 2,000 crore — for just Rs 50 lakh.

 

The ED has formally issued notices to property registrars in Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow, signaling its intention to assume physical possession of these properties. The properties under scrutiny include high-value real estate in Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow — including the iconic Herald House on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg in central Delhi.

Congress Reacts To ED Chargesheet

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, reacting to the development, said that seizing the assets of the National Herald is a state-sponsored crime masquerading as the rule of law.

"Filing chargesheets against Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and some others is nothing but the politics of vendetta and intimidation by the PM and the HM gone completely berserk. The INC and its leadership will not be silenced. Satyameva Jayate," Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.