National Herald case: Assets belonging to Rahul, Sonia Gandhi confiscated

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate has seized assets worth Rs 752 crore linked to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in a black money case related to the takeover of the National Herald newspaper.

Rs 661.69 crore worth of National Herald buildings in Delhi and Mumbai and Nehru Bhavan in Lucknow, owned by Associated Journals, the newspaper management company, and Rs 90.21 crore worth of Associated Journals' other investments were confiscated. The ED has levelled allegations of fraud, conspiracy and criminal breach of trust in the acquisition of Associated Journals Limited by Young Indian Pvt Ltd, a company owned by Sonia and Rahul.

ED already questioned Sonia, Rahul and party president Mallikarjun Kharge. If it proceeds this way, it may seem like the ED will ask all three to appear for questioning again.

Accusing the central government of misusing investigative agencies for political vendetta, the Congress said there was no evidence of money laundering against the leaders. It was BJP leader Subrahmanyan Swamy who went against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi by presenting the case in the Delhi High Court.