Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had said the December 16 court order in the National Herald case was a slap on the faces of PM Modi and home minister Amit Shah. File photo
National Herald case: Delhi HC asks Sonia, Rahul to reply to ED plea against trial court order
Trial court had refused to take cognisance of ED's money laundering charge against Gandhis; Delhi HC listed the matter for further hearing on March 12, 2026
The Delhi High Court on Monday (December 22) asked Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to reply to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) plea, against the trial court order refusing cognisance of its chargesheet in the National Herald case.
Further, the Delhi HC has listed the matter for further hearing on March 12, 2026.
On December 16, a Delhi court had refused to take cognisance of the ED's money laundering charge against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and five others in the National Herald case.
ED had said it would file an appeal against the order.
Political vendetta
After the Delhi trial court declined to take cognisance of the ED's prosecution complaint in the National Herald case, Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge called it a “slap on the faces” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah.
“This case was the outcome of political vendetta. It was mounted to harass the Gandhi family. After this judgment, Modi and Shah should resign. This is a slap on their faces. Truth has prevailed. We welcome the judgment,” Kharge had told a press conference.
The ED has accused Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, among other Congress leaders, and a private company, Young Indian, of conspiracy and money laundering. It has alleged that properties worth approximately Rs 2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited, which publishes the National Herald newspaper, were illegally acquired.