Synopsis
On April 15, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi criticized the ED's case against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, labeling it 'fake' and a misuse of political power. He plans to contest the charges, asserting that there is no legal basis for the case.Key Takeaways
- Singhvi calls ED charges 'fake'.
- Criticism of political misuse of agencies.
- Claims no evidence of wrongdoing.
- Not-for-profit company established for National Herald.
- April 25 set for hearing on the chargesheet.
New Delhi, April 15 (NationPress) Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Tuesday referred to the 'fake' ED case regarding National Herald as a “one-trick” act, criticizing the perceived misuse of enforcement agencies for political vendetta.
“The government has initiated a money laundering probe without any evidence of money movement, property transfer, or any activity that triggered a transfer,” he stated in a video message, condemning the ED's charges against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, among others.
The MP emphasized that this “fake and non-existent” case will be contested thoroughly and condemned the Government for revealing its political vendetta agenda through baseless accusations, asserting that there is “absolutely nothing in this case in a legal sense”.
“A not-for-profit entity was established to handle the operations of National Herald, where no dividends can be distributed and no commercial dealings occur,” he reiterated, aligning with the Congress stance that no illicit actions were taken by the party or its members.
Singhvi mentioned that the mere establishment of this not-for-profit company has been misconstrued as an act of money laundering.
The Enforcement Directorate has submitted a chargesheet in a special court in Delhi against Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in the purported National Herald or Associated Journals Limited (AJL) money laundering affair.
The special court has scheduled April 25 for discussions on recognizing the chargesheet.
The ED’s case is rooted in a 2014 complaint by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, who alleged a criminal conspiracy surrounding the fraudulent acquisition of properties valued over Rs 2,000 crore belonging to the Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the publisher of the now-defunct National Herald newspaper.
The ED asserts that the accused, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, utilized a private firm, Young Indian, to acquire AJL’s assets for a mere Rs 50 lakh.
The agency claims that Young Indian, which is beneficially owned by the Gandhis, effectively gained control of AJL’s properties while significantly undervaluing their market worth.
