National Herald case: ED names Rahul, Sonia Gandhi as accused in chargesheet, Robert Vadra questioned in money laundering case

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet naming Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi as accused in the National Herald case, invoking multiple sections under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The chargesheet was submitted to the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi, where Special Judge Vishal Gogne took it up for consideration. The court will hear arguments on whether to accept the chargesheet on April 25.

Notably, the chargesheet was filed on April 9, the same day as the AICC plenary session held in Ahmedabad. Other accused include Sam Pitroda, Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, and Suman Dubey, trustee of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation. The Congress party has announced nationwide protests in front of ED offices in response. Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi's husband, Robert Vadra, was questioned by the ED for over six hours yesterday in a related money laundering case. He has been asked to appear again today.

The ED investigation stems from a 2014 complaint by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, alleging that assets worth over Rs 2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL)—the publisher of National Herald—were transferred to Young Indian Pvt Ltd, a company in which Congress leaders hold shares. Young Indian reportedly acquired these assets for just Rs 50 lakh. The ED has already attached assets worth Rs 661 crore in the case.

Key allegations

• Rahul and Sonia Gandhi, along with other accused, allegedly engaged in money laundering.
• Both hold 38% shares each in Young Indian Pvt Ltd.
• Properties of both Young Indian and AJL were allegedly used for laundering money.
• Over Rs 18 crore in suspicious donations were funnelled through shell companies.
• Fake advertisements worth Rs 29 crore and advance rents of Rs 38 crore were reportedly involved.

Deal worth 58 crore
The ED is also probing a transaction involving 3.5 acres of land in Shikohpur, Gurugram, which was bought by Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd, owned by Robert Vadra, for Rs 7.5 crore and later sold to real estate giant DLF for Rs 58 crore. The agency is investigating whether money laundering took place in this deal.

"Whenever I express my willingness to enter politics, they dig up old cases to harass me."
— Robert Vadra

"This is vendetta and intimidation by the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister."
— Jairam Ramesh,
AICC General Secretary