16 April 2025 (Punjab Khabarnama Bureau): The Enforcement Directorate has filed a chargesheet against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others in connection with alleged money laundering in the National Herald case.
Special judge Vishal Gogne took up the chargesheet, filed on April 9, for cognisance and listed the matter for further hearing on April 25.
The probe agency has named former Congress president Sonia Gandhi as accused number 1 and her son, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, as accused number 2 in its prosecution complaint.
The charges were filed under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) before the court of special judge Vishal Gogne.
The chargesheet also names Congress associates Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda, the companies Young Indian and Dotex Merchandise Private Limited, and Sunil Bhandari of Dotex Merchandise as accused.
The ED has invoked sections 44 and 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for committing the offence of money laundering under Section 3 of the Act, along with Section 70, which deals with offences by companies, to establish the vicarious liability of the firms’ office bearers and executives.
The agency has sought punishment for the accused under Section 4 of the PMLA, which provides for a jail term of up to seven years.
Charges against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), citing a 2017 Income Tax assessment order, has alleged in its chargesheet that key office-bearers of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), along with the principal officers of Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and Young Indian, orchestrated a “criminal conspiracy” to take over properties worth ₹2,000 crore belonging to AJL, an unlisted public company, PTI reported.
Summary: ED accuses Sonia and Rahul Gandhi of misusing Congress funds to acquire AJL assets worth ₹5,000 crore via shell firm Young Indian in money laundering case.