New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has submitted a charge-sheet in the National Herald case before a Special Delhi Court, naming Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others. The charge-sheet, filed on April 9, was reviewed by Special Judge Vishal Gogne, who scheduled the next hearing for April 25 to decide on the issue of cognisance.

Others named in the charge-sheet include Congress Overseas Unit head Sam Pitroda and Suman Dubey. This development follows shortly after the ED issued notices to property registrars in Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow to take possession of assets worth Rs 661 crore, which had been attached during the investigation.

“The present prosecution complaint shall next be taken up for consideration on the aspect of cognisance before this court on April 25, 2025, when the special counsel for the ED and IO shall also ensure the production of the case diaries for perusal by the court,” the judge stated.

According to the ED, the attached properties are linked to proceeds of crime, with the total amount generated, held, or utilised unlawfully estimated at Rs 988 crore. In Delhi, authorities pasted notices at AJL's property at 5(A), Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg — a prominent media hub — in accordance with Section 8 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, and Rule 5(1) of the 2013 rules related to the possession of attached assets.

In Mumbai, a notice was served to Jindal South West Projects Limited, which occupies the 7th to 9th floors of Herald House in Bandra (East). The company was directed to transfer the rent or lease payments directly to the Directorate of Enforcement. Similarly, in Lucknow, a notice was affixed to property number 1, Bisheshwar Nath Road. Earlier, the ED had carried out multiple searches, seizing documents allegedly linked to the money laundering case.

Investigators found that Young Indian — a private entity beneficially owned by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi — acquired AJL's properties, worth nearly Rs 2,000 crore, for just Rs 50 lakh, indicating a significant undervaluation. Further findings revealed that these properties were allegedly used to generate illicit gains, including bogus donations amounting to Rs 18 crore, fake advance rent worth Rs 38 crore, and inflated advertising claims totalling Rs 29 crore.

The ED launched its investigation in 2021, based on a 2014 cognisance order issued by a Metropolitan Magistrate at Patiala House Courts, following a private complaint by Subramanian Swamy. The complaint accused Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and Young Indian of criminal conspiracy and involvement in money laundering.

TAGS