Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. – Photo: PTI

National Herald Case: The troubles of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and former party president Sonia Gandhi in the National Herald case are not decreasing. Now a chargesheet has been filed by the Enforcement Directorate in this case. Let us tell you that this is the first time that a chargesheet has been filed against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in any case.

In the National Herald case, the ED has filed a chargesheet in the money laundering case, tightening the noose on former Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. The chargesheet has been filed in Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on behalf of the investigating agency. The ED has made both the leaders accused in the money laundering case. The chargesheet also includes the names of many leaders including senior Congress leaders Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey.

In this case, Special Judge Vishal Gogne said, ‘The aspect of cognizance on the present complaint of the prosecution will be considered before this court for the next time on April 25, 2025, when the special counsel of ED and IO will also ensure the production of the case diary for the court’s perusal.’

ED’s chargesheet to be heard on April 25
The chargesheet filed by ED will be heard in Rouse Avenue Court on April 25. A prosecution complaint has been filed by ED for the offence of money laundering under sections 44 and 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had started the process of seizing the properties related to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case.

ED action on AJL and YIL
This is the first time that a chargesheet has been filed in a case against Congress Parliamentary Party leader Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. Let us tell you that in 2014, ED started investigation against AJL and Young India under PMLA on the orders of the Metropolitan Magistrate of Delhi. ED has so far seized properties worth about Rs 751.9 crore of AJL i.e. Associated Journals Limited and Young India.

What is the National Herald case?
The National Herald newspaper was founded in 1938 by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. It was a symbol of the freedom struggle, it was published by Associated Journals Limited i.e. AJL. The newspaper was closed after the financial crisis in 2008 and this is where the controversy started. After this, a company named Young India Private Limited (YIL) was formed in 2010, in which Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have 38-38% stake. In this case, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy alleged in 2012 that YIL acquired AJL’s assets worth more than Rs 2000 crore for just Rs 50 lakh and this is a case of fraud and money laundering.

Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. – Photo: PTI

The National Herald case may increase the troubles of former Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. In fact, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has tightened the noose and filed a chargesheet in the money laundering case. The chargesheet has been filed by the investigating agency in Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court. The ED has made both the leaders accused in the money laundering case. The chargesheet filed by the ED will be heard in the Rouse Avenue Court on April 25.

Congress leaders have expressed anger over this incident. Party General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said that the seizure of National Herald’s properties is a state-sponsored crime masquerading as the rule of law. Filing a chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and some others is nothing but revenge politics and an attempt to intimidate by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. The Indian National Congress and its leadership will not sit silent. Satyamev Jayate!

In such a situation, it is important to know what is the National Herald case? Why did the names of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi come up in it? Are any other Congress leaders also accused in this case? Let’s find out…
First know – what is the case related to National Herald?
The country’s first Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru formed Associated Journal Limited i.e. AJL on 20 November 1937. Its purpose was to publish newspapers in different languages. Then under AJL, National Herald in English, Navjivan in Hindi and Qaumi Awaz newspapers in Urdu were published.

National Herald Case: Sonia-Rahul’s troubles increased, ED filed chargesheet; names of these leaders also included

Even though Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru had a role in the formation of AJL, but he never had the ownership rights over it. Because, 5000 freedom fighters were supporting this company and they were also its shareholders. In the 90s, these newspapers started incurring losses. By the year 2008, AJL had a debt of more than Rs 90 crore. Then AJL decided that newspapers will no longer be published. After stopping the publication of newspapers, AJL entered the property business.

Let us tell you that Shanti Bhushan and Markandey Katju’s father had shares in AJL.

When the case was registered

In 2012, BJP leader and the country’s renowned lawyer Subramanian Swamy filed a case against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, journalist Suman Dubey and technocrat Sam Pitroda in the National Herald case. At that time there was a Congress-led UPA government at the center. Subramanian Swamy claimed that Young India Limited wrongly acquired the assets of the defunct print media outlet to gain assets and profits worth more than Rs 2,000 crore.

Swamy also alleged that YIL had paid just Rs 50 lakh to acquire the rights to recover Rs 90.25 crore, which was the Congress party’s dues on AJL. This amount was earlier given as a loan to start the newspaper. He also alleged that the loan given to Associate Journals Limited was illegal as it was taken from party funds.

ED investigation, court grants bail to Sonia and Rahul
When the BJP government came to power in 2014, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) started investigating this case. The sword of action was hanging over Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in the case. In such a situation, both of them reached the court. On December 19, 2015, the lower court granted bail to both of them in this case. In 2016, the Supreme Court refused to quash the proceedings against them and exempted all the five accused in the case (Sonia, Rahul Gandhi, Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes and Suman Dubey) from personal appearance.

ED action also decided
In 2018, the central government decided to terminate the 56-year-old permanent lease. Apart from this, it decided to evict AJL from the Herald House premises on the ground that AJL was not doing any printing or publishing activity. Whereas the building was allotted in 1962 for this purpose. However, on April 5, 2019, the Supreme Court ordered a stay on action against AJL under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, until further notice. Sonia and Rahul were also summoned by the ED for questioning in this case.

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