A Delhi court has deferred its decision to issue a notice to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, along with others, in the National Herald money laundering case. The decision was postponed due to deficiencies in the documents submitted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Special judge Vishal Gogne, presiding over the case at the Rouse Avenue court, granted the ED three more days to rectify these documents, after the court staff pointed out the discrepancies.
Court’s Concern Over Document Deficiencies
On Friday, the court addressed issues regarding the documents filed by the ED, which had submitted its complaint—equivalent to a charge sheet—on April 9. The judge noted that certain deficiencies had been flagged by the court staff, known as Ahlmad, which needed to be rectified before proceeding with the matter. The judge emphasized that he could not make a decision on issuing the notice to the accused until the necessary corrections were made. As a result, the matter has been scheduled for a hearing on May 2, when the issue will be reviewed again.
ED’s Request for Notice to the Accused
The ED, represented by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, insisted that the court issue notices to the accused, including Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. Raju argued that, according to legal procedure, the court must issue notices to the accused before taking cognizance of the charge sheet. He assured the court that the case was solid, and there was no intention to hide anything. Raju emphasized the importance of following the process transparently to avoid any challenges later. However, the judge responded by stating that the matter would be considered again after the necessary documentation issues were resolved.
Earlier, the ED filed a charge sheet accusing Sonia and Rahul Gandhi of involvement in money laundering related to the ₹988-crore National Herald case. The charge sheet, filed under sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), named Sonia and Rahul Gandhi as the primary accused. Along with the Gandhis, the charge sheet also named Sam Pitroda, the head of Congress overseas, and former journalist Suman Dubey, as well as the company Young Indian Private Limited (YI), in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi hold a majority stake of 76%.
The ED claims that the Gandhis, as beneficial owners of YI, played a key role in acquiring assets worth ₹2,000 crore from the National Herald’s parent company, Associated Journals Limited (AJL), for just ₹50 lakh. The agency also alleges that proceeds of crime worth ₹988 crore were involved in the case. The Congress party has dismissed the charge sheet, calling it a politically motivated move.
