Congress stages massive protest against ED over National Herald case

New Delhi: Hundreds of Congress workers and leaders gathered outside Enforcement Directorate (ED) offices across several states, protesting the chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald money laundering case. District-level central government offices also witnessed widespread demonstrations by Congress workers, reported India Today.

Congress workers also staged a protest outside the All India Congress Committee's office at 24, Akbar Road, condemning the chargesheet.

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday said it had filed a chargesheet on April 9 in a money laundering case related to the National Herald newspaper. Apart from Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, the chargesheet also names senior Congress leaders Sam Pitroda and Suman Dubey as co-accused.

Congress leader Supriya Shrinate, who was present at the protest, criticised the Centre's move, calling it an attempt to target the Gandhi family and the Congress.

"Nothing has happened in the past 12 years, it's a 12-year-old case. They have filed a money laundering case where a single penny has not been exchanged. The reality is that the government has been trying to nail down the Gandhi family and the Congress. But we will fight them tooth and nail," Shrinate told PTI Videos.

The charges have been filed under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which deal with money laundering and the punishment for the offence.

Special Judge Vishal Gogne acknowledged the chargesheet and scheduled a hearing for April 25, following the ED's move to seize AJL assets worth ₹661 crore under the PMLA. Notices were issued on April 11 to property registrars in Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow.

Reacting to the ED's move, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh termed the chargesheet as "politics of vendetta".

"Seizing the assets of the National Herald is a state-sponsored crime masquerading as the rule of law. Filing chargesheets against Smt Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others is nothing but the politics of vendetta and intimidation by the PM and the HM gone completely berserk. The INC and its leadership will not be silenced," Ramesh posted on X.

The National Herald case revolves around the alleged acquisition of properties worth over Rs 2,000 crore by AJL, which were later transferred to Young Indian, a company in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi each hold a 38 per cent stake.

The case originated from a complaint filed in 2014 by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and has since been upheld by both the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are currently out on bail since 2015 in the same case.

BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad criticised the Congress protests, stating their right to hold dharnas doesn't include misappropriating public property given to the National Herald.

BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan described the Congress protests as an attempt to intimidate the ED.

(with PTI inputs)