Sign In
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
New Delhi: Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and five others on Tuesday got a temporary relief from a Delhi court in connection with the National Herald case. Special Judge Vishal Gogane of the Rouse Avenue Court refused to take note of the chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case linked to the National Herald case. The court, however, said that the federal probe agency could continue its probe in the matter.
The Congress welcomed the court's order and said the "malafide and illegality" of the Modi govt stands fully exposed. The party said that the charged levelled against it are part of "political witch hunt and, reputation assassination".
"This politically motivated prosecution by the Modi government over the last decade, of the principal opposition party stands exposed before the people of India," the Congress said on X.
"No case of money laundering, no proceeds of crime and no movement of property - all baseless charges that have been a part of political witch hunt, propaganda, reputation assassination and campaign which stands defeated today," it added.
ED complaint not maintainable without FIR
The court said that the ED's complaint, filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), was not maintainable without an FIR. It also said an FIR in this case was already filed by Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing, meaning it will be "premature and imprudent" to rule on the ED's submission.
According to the EOW, Gnadhis and five others, including the Congress' overseas unit chief, Sam Pitroda, allegedly conspired to "fraudulently take over Associated Journals Limited (AJL)", the now-defunct National Herald newspaper's parent company.
What are ED's charges against Gandhis, others
In its chargesheet, the ED has accused Gandhis and others of allegedly acquiring properties worth approximately Rs 2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited, which publishes the National Herald newspaper.
The probe agency also alleged that the Gandhis held the majority 76 per cent shares in a private company Young Indian, which “fraudulently” usurped the assets of AJL in exchange for a Rs 90 crore loan.
The chargesheet names Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Pitroda, late party leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, along with Suman Dubey and Sunil Bhandari, Young Indian and Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd.
