A Delhi court heard the National Herald money laundering case, where the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sought to issue notices against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others. However, the court rejected the ED's request, refusing to issue the notices.
New Delhi: An unexpected turn occurred on Friday during the hearing in the much-discussed National Herald money laundering case at the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi. The court expressed serious concerns about the absence of crucial documents in the chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and other Congress leaders. Based on this, Special Judge Vishal Gogne refused to issue any notices for the time being.
During the hearing on the ED's petition, the court clarified that issuing notices would not be appropriate until all documents were presented to the court in a complete and organized manner. The court also stated that documents mentioned in the chargesheet were missing, and their absence could affect a fair trial.
Court Rejects ED's Plea
The ED had requested the court to issue immediate notices in light of new laws to avoid delays in proceedings. The ED's lawyer argued that the process of the case could not be initiated without sending notices to the accused. The agency stated that it was maintaining transparency in the case and not concealing any information.
However, the court disagreed, stating that before issuing notices, the court must ensure that the chargesheet is fully documented and free of procedural errors.
Inconsistencies in Documents Pose a Hurdle
Court officials reported that several documents in the soft copy of the chargesheet submitted by the ED were out of order, and some documents were clearly missing. Special Judge Gogne stated that simply submitting a soft copy is insufficient; the documents must be in the correct order and complete. The court cannot take cognizance of incomplete information under any circumstances.
The court ordered the ED to provide all necessary documents with proper order and structure before the next hearing. The judge stated that at the next hearing on May 2, the court will decide whether or not it is necessary to issue notices.
What is the National Herald Case?
This case primarily concerns financial transactions between Associated Journals Limited (AJL), an entity linked to the Congress party, and Young Indian company. BJP leader Subramanian Swamy filed a complaint in 2014 alleging that Congress leaders improperly gained control of AJL's assets.
Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi hold a majority stake in Young Indian, which manages AJL's liabilities. It is alleged that financial irregularities occurred in this process, and assets were misused through money laundering.
ED Investigation Began in 2021
The ED formally launched its investigation into the matter in 2021. Prior to this, in 2014, the Patiala House Court in Delhi took cognizance of Swamy's complaint. Since then, there have been several rounds of questioning and investigations against the Congress leadership. However, until now, no concrete action had been taken by filing a chargesheet in court.
The Congress party has consistently termed this case as politically motivated. The party claims that the central government is misusing central agencies to intimidate and weaken its opponents. Party leaders say this ED move is an attack on democratic values.
