Former Congress President and MP from Wayanad Rahul Gandhi will appear before the Enforcement Directorate on Monday in connection with the National Herald money-laundering case. Several Congress members, who decided to hold protests outside Gandhi’s residence in support, were detained by the Delhi police in the morning.
Both Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi have been summoned by the ED in a probe related to the National Herald case. However, the Congress president, hospitalized with Covid-related issues, will appear before the central agency on June 23.
The ED summoned the Gandhis on June 1 in a case related to the National Herald-Associated Journals Ltd deal. Rahul Gandhi was asked to appear on June 2 but sought more time from the agency as the Congress leader outside the country. While Sonia sought more time due to Covid-19 infection.
Ahead of Rahul’s questioning, Congress members decided to take out a rally in his support, but many were detained on Monday morning for raising slogans in the national Capital. The Delhi Police denied them permission to hold a rally, citing law and order.
Congress has alleged that ED’s move to summon Rahul and Sonia Gandhi is a “political vendetta” as the case has no grounds for investigation.
The National Herald newspaper, founded by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1938, is published by Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and owned by Young Indian Private Limited (YIL). Their promoters include Rahul and Sonia Gandhi. In 2012, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy filed a complaint before a trial court alleging that some Congress leaders were involved in cheating and breach of trust in the acquisition of AJL. Swamy had alleged that YIL had ‘taken over’ the assets of the National Herald in a ‘malicious’ way.
The ED is currently probing the shareholding pattern, the financial transactions of AJL and YIL, and the role of party functionaries in the functioning of the two entities.
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