Delhi court issues notice to Sonia, Rahul Gandhi in National Herald case

A Delhi court on Friday formally issued notices to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the ongoing National Herald money laundering case. The notice follows the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) investigation and a legal tussle dating back over ten years.

Special Judge Vishal Gogne, presiding over the case, emphasised the importance of a fair legal process. “Right to be heard at any stage breathes life into a fair trial,” he said, while scheduling the next hearing for May 8.

Background of the Case

The Enforcement Directorate launched its investigation in 2021 after a private criminal complaint was brought forward in June 2014 by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy. The complaint accused senior Congress leaders of financial misconduct and criminal conspiracy related to the defunct National Herald newspaper.

Central to the allegations is the acquisition of Associated Journals Limited (AJL)—the original publisher of the National Herald—and the creation of Young Indian, a not-for-profit company. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi each reportedly hold a 38% stake in the entity.

ED’s Allegations on Property Control

According to the ED, Congress extended an unsecured loan of approximately ₹90 crore to AJL. This debt was later transferred to Young Indian for just ₹50 lakh. Investigators claim this transaction allowed Young Indian to assume control of AJL and its prime real estate holdings, valued at over ₹2,000 crore, located in major cities such as Delhi, Lucknow, and Mumbai.

The ED accuses the Gandhis and other Congress members of laundering roughly ₹988 crore through this arrangement.

Congress Alleges Political Vendetta

In response, the Congress party has charged the Centre and the ED with targeting its leaders through politically motivated investigations. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge recently addressed the issue in a meeting of party leaders.

“You must have noticed how, as part of a big conspiracy, the names of CPP Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi have been put in the chargesheet in the National Herald case,” Kharge stated.

He added, “The party will not be cowed by what he described as ‘a spirit of vendetta’.”

Nevertheless, the Congress has consistently maintained that Young Indian is a not-for-profit company, arguing that the case is merely an attempt to malign its leadership