Will the Delhi Court Deliver a Verdict in the National Herald Case?

New Delhi, July 14 (NationPress) A court in the capital has chosen to delay its verdict regarding the acceptance of the prosecution complaint submitted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) concerning the alleged money laundering case linked to National Herald.

This prominent case includes high-profile individuals such as Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party, Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sam Pitroda, Congress Overseas Chief, Suman Dubey, among others, who are named as defendants under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

After listening to the arguments presented by both the Central agency and the accused parties, including the Gandhi family, Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne at the Rouse Avenue Courts has scheduled the decision for July 29.

During the proceedings, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju, representing the ED, argued that Young Indian Ltd, in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi hold a majority stake, was allegedly exploited to misappropriate approximately Rs 2,000 crore worth of assets from the National Herald by paying a mere Rs 50 lakh.

According to ASG Raju, the entity known as Young Indian exists merely in name, while the other defendants are described as puppets of the Gandhi family.

The ED has asserted that a conspiracy was formed to establish Young Indian for the purpose of seizing control over the extensive assets of the now-defunct newspaper, with the intent to benefit the senior Congress leadership personally.

The investigation agency indicated that numerous senior Congress leaders were implicated in “fraudulent transactions” involving Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the original publisher of the National Herald.

ASG Raju informed the court that individuals were instructed by senior Congress officials to make fictitious advance rent payments over the years, accompanied by fabricated rent receipts.

The ED’s prosecution complaint alleges that through a malicious takeover, Congress leaders misappropriated property belonging to AJL, transforming public trusts into personal assets.

In defense, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Sonia Gandhi, labeled the money laundering claims as “bizarre” and “unprecedented,” asserting that no tangible assets were involved.

Additionally, Rahul Gandhi contended that attempts by the All India Congress Committee to revive the pre-Independence era newspaper were wrongly interpreted as an effort to liquidate its assets.

Emphasizing the non-profit nature of the venture, senior advocate R.S. Cheema, defending Rahul Gandhi, stated that the National Herald was never intended to be a commercial entity, and the AICC merely sought to restore the newspaper's former glory.

The controversy regarding the assets of National Herald was reignited in 2012 when BJP leader Subramanian Swamy lodged a complaint in a trial court, alleging that Congress leaders had committed cheating and breach of trust during the acquisition of AJL.