Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 29: A Delhi court on Tuesday postponed its decision on whether to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) prosecution complaint in the high-stakes National Herald money laundering case. The verdict, originally expected today, will now be pronounced in the second week of August.
At the centre of this politically sensitive case are top Congress figures, including Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress Overseas chief Sam Pitroda, and senior party associates like Suman Dubey. They are accused under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne, presiding over the proceedings at Rouse Avenue Court, had reserved the order on July 14 after extensive arguments from both the ED and the defense.
During the hearings, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju, representing the ED, alleged a deliberate conspiracy involving the creation of Young Indian Ltd.—a company in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi hold a majority stake—to fraudulently acquire assets worth over ?2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the publisher of the now-defunct National Herald newspaper.
According to the ED, Young Indian paid just ?50 lakh for controlling interests in AJL, and its sole purpose was to benefit the Congress leadership. ASG Raju argued that the accused, including other senior Congress leaders, executed fake financial transactions and made bogus advance rent payments backed by fabricated receipts, all orchestrated by the Gandhis.
The ED's complaint states that public trust assets were effectively converted into personal holdings under the guise of reviving a newspaper with historical significance.
Defending the Congress leaders, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi called the ED’s allegations “unprecedented” and “baseless,” stressing that no monetary gain or tangible property was involved. He described the case as a political vendetta disguised as legal scrutiny.
Supporting that view, senior advocate R.S. Cheema argued on behalf of Rahul Gandhi that the move was never about commercial exploitation. Instead, he claimed it was an earnest effort by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) to bring the National Herald back into circulation, preserving its legacy as a voice of the freedom movement.
The origins of the case trace back to a 2012 complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, who alleged fraud, cheating, and breach of trust in the transfer of AJL's ownership and assets.
As the court prepares to deliver its decision next month, the case remains a major flashpoint in the ongoing political battle between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress—one that could have far-reaching implications ahead of the next general election.