Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi may have to face the heat of the Enforcement Directorate soon as the federal agency is reported to be preparing to summon the Congress leader for questioning.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, quoting officials familiar with the development, the Raebareli MP might soon be summoned for questioning by the ED in connection with its money laundering probe into the affairs of the party-run National Herald newspaper.
Rahul may be needed by the agency for a fresh round of questioning as the agency wants to conclude its probe into the irregularities, in which it has already attached assets worth Rs 751 crore, the report added.
The Congress leader was earlier quizzed by the enforcement agency in June 2022 for nearly 40 hours in four sittings. The agency questioned him about his role in the day-to-day functioning of Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YI), a company where he is a major shareholder along with his mother Sonia Gandhi.
He was also interrogated by the ED about the acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) by YI and a loan of Rs 90.21 crore given by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) to AJL.
The enforcement agency also asked Rahul Gandhi about transactions related to the development of a property in Mumbai.
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson, Sonia Gandhi was also interrogated by the agency in connection with the case for about 11 hours spread over three hours in July 2022.
However, it is not clear whether the agency is considering calling Sonia Gandhi also for questioning.
The National Herald Money Laundering Case
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy had brought the case against the Gandhi family in a Delhi court in 2012. The BJP leader alleged that Sonia and Rahul Gandhi used funds from the Congress party to take over Associated Journals Limited (AJL) to try to acquire more than Rs 2000 crore in property assets for "only Rs 50 lakh".
He also alleged that the Gandhis used "malicious" means to "take over" assets worth millions as YI acquired complete control of AJL and its real estate, located in Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai and other cities.