On Friday, a Delhi court issued formal notices to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in connection with the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) chargesheet in the National Herald money laundering case. Special Judge Vishal Gogne highlighted the importance of due process, stating that the “right to be heard at any stage breathes life into a fair trial.” The matter is set to be heard next on May 8.
Case Originated from Subramanian Swamy’s 2014 Complaint
The ED’s investigation stems from a private criminal complaint filed in June 2014 by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, which alleged financial irregularities involving senior Congress figures. While the ED began its formal probe in 2021, the matter has remained in legal and political discourse for over a decade.
Allegations: Real Estate Misuse and Fund Diversion
At the heart of the controversy is the acquisition of Associated Journals Limited (AJL), publisher of the now-defunct National Herald, and the subsequent creation of Young Indian Pvt Ltd — a not-for-profit company in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi reportedly hold a 38% stake each.
According to the ED, Congress extended an unsecured loan of ₹90 crore to AJL, which was later transferred to Young Indian for just ₹50 lakh. This transaction allegedly enabled Young Indian to take over AJL’s properties — including prime real estate in Delhi, Lucknow, and Mumbai — estimated to be worth over ₹2,000 crore. The ED claims this arrangement facilitated the laundering of ₹988 crore.
ALSO READ: PM Modi inaugurates Adani’s Vizhinjam seaport in Kerala, set to become India’s first transhipment hub
Congress Denounces Charges as Political Vendetta
Reacting strongly, the Congress party has accused the central government of misusing investigative agencies for political gain. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge recently addressed party leaders, asserting that the chargesheet was driven by a “spirit of vendetta.”
“You must have seen how, as part of a larger conspiracy, the names of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have been included in the chargesheet,” Kharge said. He reiterated the party’s stance that Young Indian is a not-for-profit organization with no intent of commercial gain.
