The investigation against the Congress leaders was initiated after a probe into a private criminal complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy in 2013.
New Delhi: Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, her son and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case related to the National Herald newspaper, which is run and owned by the Congress party.
The notice by the Enforcement Directorate to the Gandhis was served a few days ago. In April, the ED had questioned former Union minister Pawan Bansal and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge in connection with the money laundering probe into the National Herald case.
The investigation against the Congress leaders was initiated after a probe into a private criminal complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy in 2013. The complaint alleged cheating and misappropriation of funds on part of the Gandhis in the acquisition of the newspaper.
Subramanian Swami had said that the Gandhis acquired properties owned by the National Herald by buying over the newspaper’s erstwhile publishers through Young Indian in which they have an 86 per cent stake.
Senior Congress leader and party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “Started the National Herald newspaper in 1942, at that time the British tried to suppress it, and today the Modi government is also doing the same and the ED is being used for this. ED has given notice to our president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.”
Meanwhile, senior advocate and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, “The BJP is using puppet agencies to intimidate opponents. National Herald has a history that goes back to the days of independence.”
He further alleged, “In 2015, the Enforcement Directorate had closed the National Herald case. But the government didn’t like it and it removed the officials of the ED, brought in new officials and reopened the case. This is to divert attention from inflation and other raging problems.