National Herald case: Cong plans protests during Rahul’s questioning

Congress workers plan demonstrations at 25 offices of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) across the country on Monday during the questioning of their leader Rahul Gandhi by the enforcement agency in the National Herald case.

Speaking to NDTV, Congress leader Manickam Tagore said the show of strength will be staged to protest against the Centre’s alleged misuse of investigative agencies.

Accusing the Centre of implicating Rahul and Congress president Sonia Gandhi in a “fake” case, Tagore said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are using ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to silence the voice of opposition.”

He also pointed out to the raids against leaders of other opposition party, and said that the Congress will protest against such “dictatorial attitude of the BJP.”

Also read: Explained: What’s the National Herald case that haunts Congress

Tagore said Senior Congress leaders will accompany Rahul when he goes to the ED office in Delhi on Monday.

Sonia Gandhi was summoned for questioning on June 23 after she skipped the summons on June 2 after contracting COVID.

The mother-son duo along with a few other Congress leaders have been charged with misappropriating assets of over ₹2,000 crore of Associated Journals Limited (AJL) by acquiring it through unscrupulous means.

AJL, which is currently owned by Young Indian Private Limited – a company owned by the Gandhis – publishes the National Herald newspaper.

Also read: Nothing to hide from ED: Cong on summons to Sonia, Rahul

The ED had filed a fresh case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after a Delhi court took cognizance of a PIL filed by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy in 2013.

The ED says the summons to the Gandhis are part of the investigation into the case.