A Delhi court on Friday sent notices to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald money laundering case, as reported by Bar and Bench. The case is being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which recently filed a new chargesheet. Judge Vishal Gogne passed the order and said, “The right to be heard at any stage is important for a fair trial.” The next hearing will take place on May 8.
ED’s Chargesheet Accuses Gandhis Of Control Over YIL
According to the ED’s chargesheet, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi allegedly controlled Young Indian Limited (YIL), the company that took over Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) — the original publisher of the National Herald newspaper.
The ED has invoked Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which deal with money laundering offences and corresponding punishment.
According to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) chargesheet, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are accused of controlling Young Indian Limited (YIL), the company that took over Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), which used to publish the National Herald newspaper. The ED has applied Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which deal with money laundering and related punishments.
The chargesheet says that the Gandhis owned 76% of YIL’s shares, with the rest owned by Motilal Vohra and Oscar Fernandes, who were Congress leaders. After their deaths, the shares had no legal claimants, making the Gandhis 100% owners of the company, according to the ED.
Properties Worth ₹661 Crore Targeted For Seizure
Last month, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) took a major step by starting the process to seize properties worth ₹661 crore connected to the National Herald case. Notices were sent to property registrars in Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow, instructing them to take control of the immovable assets owned by Associated Journals Ltd (AJL). The list of properties includes Herald House in Delhi, as well as other valuable properties in Mumbai and Lucknow.
₹50 Lakh Deal In Question
According to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the issue started in November 2010 when Young Indian was formed. This company later took control of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) and all its assets by paying just ₹50 lakh to settle a ₹90 crore loan that the Congress party had given to AJL.
The ED claims that this was part of a bigger plan to take over real estate worth over ₹2,000 crore at a very low price.
Allegations Of Fake Donations And Rent Transactions
The ED investigation also suggests that money laundering took place through fake donations and fake rent agreements, amounting to crores of rupees. In November 2023, the ED had already seized several AJL properties as part of the ongoing investigation.
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