ED Files Complaint Against Sonia & Rahul in National Herald Money Laundering Case
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken a significant step in the National Herald money laundering case by filing a prosecution complaint in a Delhi court against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Sam Pitroda. The complaint alleges that the trio was involved in the fraudulent takeover of properties valued at ₹2,000 crore by Young Indian, a company linked to Sonia Gandhi.
The case dates back to 2012 when Subramanian Swamy, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, filed a complaint with the Delhi High Court alleging that the Congress party and its leaders had misused the National Herald, a newspaper founded by Jawaharlal Nehru, to further their political interests. Swamy alleged that Young Indian, a company founded by Sonia Gandhi, had taken over the assets of National Herald and used them for personal gain.
The ED had launched an investigation into the matter in 2013 and had earlier filed a chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others in 2017. However, the court had dismissed the chargesheet, citing lack of evidence. The ED had then re-examined the evidence and filed a new complaint in the Delhi court.
The ED’s complaint alleges that Young Indian had taken over the assets of National Herald through a series of transactions that were allegedly fraudulent and illegal. The company had reportedly acquired the assets of National Herald for a mere ₹50 lakh, which is a fraction of their actual value. The ED claims that the transactions were structured to conceal the identity of the real beneficiaries of the assets and to launder the proceeds of the alleged crime.
The ED has also alleged that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had used their positions to influence the transactions and to ensure that the assets were transferred to Young Indian. The agency claims that the duo had used their control over the Congress party to manipulate the transactions and to conceal their involvement in the alleged fraud.
Sam Pitroda, a close aide of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, is also named in the ED’s complaint. The agency claims that Pitroda had played a key role in the alleged fraud and had facilitated the transfer of the assets to Young Indian.
The ED’s complaint has sparked a political storm, with the Congress party accusing the government of using the ED to harass and intimidate its leaders. The party has demanded that the government provide evidence to support the allegations and has claimed that the ED’s complaint is based on fabricated evidence.
However, the ED has maintained that its investigation has uncovered a large-scale fraud and that the evidence it has gathered is sufficient to prove the allegations. The agency has also claimed that it has recovered ₹14 crore from the accounts of Young Indian and has attached several properties linked to the company.
The National Herald case is not the first time that the ED has targeted Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. In 2019, the agency had filed a chargesheet against the duo in a separate case related to the alleged misappropriation of funds by the National Herald.
The development comes at a time when the Congress party is already facing a series of challenges, including the exit of several key leaders and the party’s poor performance in recent elections. The ED’s complaint is likely to further embarrass the party and to damage its reputation.
The ED’s complaint against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Sam Pitroda is a significant development in the National Herald money laundering case. The case is now likely to go to trial, and the ED will have to present its evidence to prove the allegations.
In conclusion, the ED’s complaint against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Sam Pitroda in the National Herald money laundering case is a significant development in the case. The case has the potential to expose a large-scale fraud and to damage the reputation of the Congress party. The ED will have to present its evidence to prove the allegations, and the outcome of the case will depend on the quality of the evidence it presents.
News Source: https://x.com/ANI/status/1912118157457645937
