A Delhi court on Friday issued notices to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in connection with the National Herald money laundering case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had recently filed its chargesheet in the matter.
According to news agency PTI, Special Judge Vishal Gogne stated that the right to be heard is available to the accused at the stage of cognisance of the chargesheet. “Right to be heard at any stage breathes life into fair trial,” the judge said, as he listed the matter for the next hearing on 8 May.
The ED began its probe in 2021 after a magistrate court took cognisance of a private complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on 26 June 2014. The agency said the complaint alleged a criminal conspiracy involving several political figures, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, the late Motilal Vora, the late Oscar Fernandes, as well as Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and the private company Young Indian, in a case of money laundering related to the fraudulent acquisition of properties worth over ₹2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL).
Both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are majority shareholders in Young Indian, holding 38 per cent shares each. The ED had questioned them for hours in this case a few years ago, PTI reported.
As per ANI, while scheduling the next date of hearing, the court observed that Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and other proposed accused have the “right to be heard” at the time the court takes cognisance of the chargesheet. The court reinforced that such a right is crucial to ensuring a fair trial, thereby necessitating the issuance of the notices.
Bar and Bench further reported that the court also issued notices to Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, Sunil Bhandari, M/s Young Indian, and M/s Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd. The matter will be heard next on 8 May.
The National Herald case revolves around the assignment of a ₹90 crore loan—originally extended by the Congress party to AJL, which publishes the National Herald—to Young Indian for a consideration of just ₹50 lakh. The complaint alleges a misappropriation of assets worth over ₹2,000 crore through this equity transaction.
In his private complaint, Subramanian Swamy had accused Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and the Gandhi family-controlled Young Indian of cheating, criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and misappropriation of property.
The ED filed its prosecution complaint against the Gandhis, Sam Pitroda, and others on 15 April this year.
