ED summons Sonia and Rahul; BJP using puppet agencies, says Congress

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi have been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate over the National Herald case.

This case, which pertains to a complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, was reportedly closed by the investigating agency in 2015, said media reports. In 2012, BJP leader and advocate Subramanian Swamy filed a complaint before a trial court alleging that some Congress leaders were involved in cheating and breach of trust in the acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd by Young Indian Ltd (YIL).

He alleged that YIL had ‘taken over’ the assets of the National Herald in a ‘malicious’ way to gain profit and assets worth over 2,000 crore.

Also read: HC seeks response of Gandhis in National Herald case

In 2014, the Enforcement Directorate initiated a probe to see if there was any money laundering in the case. The National Herald was a newspaper founded by Jawaharlal Nehru along with other freedom fighters in 1938, which was published by Associated Journals Ltd (AJL). AJL closed down in 2008 with a debt of over 90 crore, and its holdings were transferred to Young India in 2011.

Commenting on the summons, Congress leader and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the media that the BJP is using “puppet agencies” to intimidate political opponents. “National Herald has a history that goes back to independence days,” he added. Singhvi also pointed out that Opposition leaders including Mamata Banerjee, Farooq Abdullah are under attack from Central agencies.

“All companies improve their balance sheet by turning loans into equities”, Singhvi added.