Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) informed a Delhi court on Wednesday that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were direct beneficiaries of ₹142 crore in proceeds of crime, as part of its prosecution in the National Herald money laundering case. The agency submitted that a strong case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) had been made out against the accused.
ED claims private assets created from public funds
The agency’s submissions came during preliminary arguments before Special Judge Vishal Gogne at Rouse Avenue Court, as the court considered whether to take cognisance of the ED’s prosecution complaint. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the ED, told the court that Young Indian Pvt Ltd, in which the Gandhis are stakeholders, was a “sham entity” created to acquire control over Associated Journals Limited (AJL)—the publisher of the now-defunct National Herald newspaper—and its real estate assets worth over ₹2,000 crore.
Background: A 2014 complaint reignited
The complaint traces its roots to a 2014 private criminal case filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, which was taken on record by a magistrate court in June that year. The ED began its formal investigation in 2021, later filing a detailed prosecution complaint that runs over 5,000 pages.
Defence seeks time to respond
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Gandhis and other accused, sought time to review the voluminous documentation. The court is now expected to set a timeline for further arguments and a decision on cognisance.
Young Indian and asset attachment
The ED has named Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, Young Indian Pvt Ltd, and two associated entities in its complaint. The agency argues that Young Indian was used to unlawfully take over AJL and benefit from its income-generating assets. According to the ED, between the acquisition and the provisional attachment of assets in November 2023, the accused had control over properties yielding rental income worth ₹142 crore.
