The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has indicted Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. These two prominent members of the Congress, in the National Herald case.
Mr. Rahul Gandhi, the opposition leader in the Lok Sabha, and Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, the former president of the Indian National Congress (INC), are listed as Accused No. 1 (A1) and Accused No. 2 (A2), respectively.
They submitted this charge sheet in April. Special Judge Vishal Gogne, however, reviewed the charge sheet and decided to postpone the case to April 25 to accommodate further hearings.
On April 25, the current prosecution’s complaint will be heard in this court. The judge stated, “The ED and the IO’s special counsel will make sure that the case diaries are brought before the court for its review at that time,” according to PTI.
Congress leaders Sam Pitroda and Suman Dubey have also been identified by the ED as accused in the charge sheet. The late Oscar Fernandes and Motilal Vohra are also listed among the accused.
This development comes just days after the ED began the process of seizing assets belonging to Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi’s Associated Journals Limited (AJL), valued at over ₹700 crore. These assets are located in Lucknow, Mumbai, and Delhi. Among them is the well-known Herald House on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg in the national capital.
Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi each own 38% of the company, making them the majority shareholders.
Nonetheless, there are allegations in this National Herald case that senior politicians and Young Indian Private Limited were involved in the fraudulent acquisition of AJL’s assets, valued at approximately ₹2,000 crore.
The ED investigation on National Herald began in 2021, based on a 2014 complaint filed in a Delhi court by BJP politician Dr. Subramanian Swamy. The complaint alleges that Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and other prominent Congress leaders used Young Indian Private Limited to fraudulently acquire AJL’s assets—estimated at nearly ₹2,000 crore—for just ₹50 lakh.
Despite ongoing legal challenges, both the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court have allowed the investigation to proceed. The ED has conducted multiple raids and seized several documents during its inquiry.
The Enforcement Directorate clarified that these actions were taken as part of the probe into the AJL money laundering case under Section 8 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, and relevant provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering (Attachment or Freezing of Property) Rules, 2013.
National Herald case: ED’s investigation is ongoing.
The National Herald case remains one of India’s most discussed political controversies, primarily because of its association with high-profile figures like Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The National Herald controversy began with Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the former publisher of the National Herald newspaper. Years after the newspaper ceased operations, AJL was taken over by Young Indian, a company in which the Gandhis hold a significant stake.
Here’s where the controversy deepens: The Congress party had loaned approximately ₹90 crore to AJL. Later, Young Indian acquired AJL by paying a mere ₹50 lakh. As a result, the company reportedly gained control of AJL’s real estate assets across India, worth hundreds of crores. Critics have described the move as a calculated but questionable transaction.
While the Congress party maintains that the acquisition was meant to preserve a historic institution, opponents view it as a blatant misuse of political influence and financial misconduct. The ED’s investigation is ongoing, and court proceedings continue. Whether this turns out to be a case of political persecution or legitimate fraud remains to be seen. Let the people know about future political drama.
