Page 6 - The Indian EYE 053025

EYE ON INDIA MAY 30, 2025 | The Indian Eye 6

NATIONAL HERALD CASE

ED intensifies money-laundering

probe against Rahul & Sonia Gandhi

as Congress cries foul

BY OUR BUREAU
New Delhi
he Enforcement Directorate (ED) this week
launched a fresh salvo in the long-running
TNational Herald money-laundering case, fil-
ing its opening arguments against Congress leaders
Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and several others in
a Delhi court. The political tremors were immedi-
ate, with the Congress party decrying the move as a
“witch-hunt” aimed at silencing its top leadership,
particularly newly appointed Leader of Opposition
in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.
The proceedings began at the Rouse Avenue
Court on Wednesday, where Additional Solicitor
General (ASG) S. V. Raju argued that the case
clearly constituted an offence under the Prevention
of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Raju told the
court that “proceeds of crime” were evident and
that these were generated through a “continuing
criminal activity,” qualifying as money laundering
under Indian law. Rahul Gandhi pays floral tribute to his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 34th death anniversary, at Veer
The case stems from allegations involving As- Bhumi in New Delhi on Wednesday (ANI)
sociated Journals Ltd. (AJL), the publisher of the
now-defunct National Herald newspaper, which
was founded by Jawaharlal Nehru and other leaders lic assets worth `5,000 crore. “If you looted it, you of their cases are against opposition leaders,” she
during the independence movement. AJL was later have to return it,” he said, reiterating the BJP’s said, calling the agency a “frontal arm of the BJP.”
acquired by a newly-formed entity, Young Indian, in position that the National Herald case reflects fi- The National Herald saga has become em-
which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi hold major stakes. nancial impropriety at the highest levels of the blematic of the deepening conflict between India’s
Critics allege that public donations meant for jour- Congress. ruling party and the principal opposition. What be-
nalistic work were diverted for commercial gain. In a swift counter, Congress leader Pawan gan as a dispute over a legacy media organization
Special Judge Vishal Gogne, after hearing the
ED’s initial arguments, listed the matter for day- Khera alleged that the ED’s sudden activity was has evolved into a political and legal showdown
triggered by Rahul Gandhi’s pointed questioning with broader implications for the country’s demo-
to-day hearings from July 2 to July 8, noting the ex- of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External cratic institutions.
tensive volume of documents—over 5,000 pages— Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during recent par- The ED’s actions come at a time when the
submitted as part of the prosecution’s complaint. liamentary debates, particularly on foreign policy Congress is attempting to reassert itself nationally
Defence counsel had requested a July timeline to issues such as Operation Sindoor—a recent gov- following a stronger-than-expected performance in
adequately prepare their responses. ernment evacuation effort in conflict zones. the recent general elections. With Rahul Gandhi
During the hearing, the judge also posed ques-
“Every time Rahul Gandhi asks tough ques-
tions about the nature of AJL’s shares and the legal tions, the government deploys its frontal agen- now occupying a formal leadership role in Parlia-
ment, the stakes have been raised.
ownership of its assets. The ED’s special counsel cies—the ED, CBI, Income Tax—to try and si- For its part, the BJP maintains that the case
Zoheb Hosain responded by highlighting the pred- lence him,” Khera told reporters. “But they won’t is based on legitimate legal grounds, not vendetta.
icate offence: that Congress party donors were succeed. Rahul Gandhi will continue asking those The party has consistently argued that accountabil-
allegedly misled. According to the agency, funds questions.” ity must extend to all, including political dynasties.
donated to the party were used to provide a loan to Congress has consistently argued that the ED’s As the court prepares to resume hearings in
AJL, which had transitioned into a commercial en- pursuit of the National Herald case is selective and July, the case promises to remain at the center of
terprise—raising questions of propriety and legality. politically motivated. Supriya Shrinate, the party’s India’s political discourse. With high-profile lead-
The case, originally filed by BJP leader Sub-
ramanian Swamy in 2012, has long been politically social media chairperson and a former journalist, ers, historical legacies, and claims of multi-crore
told ANI that the case had dragged on for over a financial misappropriation involved, the National
charged. On Wednesday, BJP spokesperson She- decade without yielding concrete evidence. Herald case is far more than a courtroom battle—
hzad Poonawalla renewed his party’s offensive, “For the past 15 years, the ED has not been it is a test of narrative, influence, and power in the
claiming that the Gandhis had benefited from pub-
able to prove any wrongdoing. In fact, 95 per cent world’s largest democracy.

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