Congress workers staged a protest outside the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters at 24, Akbar Road, denouncing the recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) chargesheet against senior party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case.
The ED filed the chargesheet on April 9, implicating Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Sam Pitroda, and Suman Dubey in a money laundering case related to the National Herald newspaper. The charges are under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which pertain to money laundering and its associated penalties.
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate, present at the protest, criticized the government’s actions, stating, “This is a 12-year-old case where not a single penny has been exchanged. The government is targeting the Gandhi family and the Congress, but we will fight them tooth and nail.”
The ED’s move comes shortly after initiating proceedings to seize immovable assets worth ₹661 crore linked to the National Herald and its publisher, Associated Journals Limited (AJL). Notices were issued to property registrars in Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow to take over AJL assets under the PMLA.
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh condemned the chargesheet, labeling it as “politics of vendetta” and accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of misusing investigative agencies. He asserted that the Congress and its leadership would not be silenced.
The National Herald case centers on the alleged acquisition of properties worth over ₹2,000 crore by AJL, which were later transferred to Young Indian, a company in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi each hold a 38% stake. The case originated from a 2014 complaint by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and has been upheld by both the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi have been out on bail since 2015 in connection with this case.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne has taken cognizance of the chargesheet, with the matter scheduled for hearing on April 25.
