ED Summons Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi In National Herald Money Laundering Case

Congress leaders have been summoned in the National Herald case, which was closed by the investigating agency in 2015.

Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi with party MP Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and her son and party leader Rahul Gandhi in connection with a money laundering case related.  According to the news agency PTI, both the Congress leaders have been summoned in the National Herald case, which was closed by the investigating agency in 2015. While Sonia Gandhi, 75, has been asked to depose before the federal agency on June 8, Rahul Gandhi is understood to have been asked to appear earlier.

Responding to the notice, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala held a press conference and slammed the Modi government. He said that though the case was already closed 7 years back, still, the central government used ED and sent the summon to the congress chief Sonia Gandhi and leader Rahul Gandhi. He said, " this action by the Modi government shows they are weak and are scared of Congress but we will give a befitting answer of this cruelty."

Surjewala added,"Started the National Herald newspaper in 1942, at that time the British tried to suppress it, today Modi govt is also doing the same & ED is being used for this. ED has given notice to our president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi."

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said at a press conference that senior Gandhi will comply with the summons. "Rahul Gandhi will go if he is here or he may seek a fresh date," Singhvi added.

The Congress party further targeted the central government on Twitter and said, "When the Congress was not afraid of the atrocities under the British rule, how can the ED notice break the courage of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and the Congress party. We will fight...we will win...we will not bow down...we will not be afraid."

This comes amid Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party's continuous attack on the Modi government accusing them of using central agencies for their own benefits. 

The case was registered recently to probe alleged financial irregularities in the party-promoted Young Indian that owns the National Herald newspaper.

The agency, officials said, wants to record the statements of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The National Herald is published by Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and owned by Young Indian Pvt Limited.

The agency recently questioned senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Pawan Bansal as part of the investigation.