The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her MP son Rahul Gandhi for questioning in a cash laundering case linked to the National Herald newspaper.
While Sonia has been requested to depose earlier than the federal company at its headquarters in central Delhi on June 8, Rahul Gandhi has been requested to seem on June 2.
Congress chief Abhishek Manu Singhvi instructed at a press convention that Sonia Gandhi will adjust to the summons.
Rahul Gandhi, 51, has written to the probe company to postpone the date to after June 5 as he isn’t within the nation, Singhvi and one other Congress chief Randeep Surjewala instructed reporters.
Meanwhile, the Congress was left fuming on ED summons to Gandhis. Party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala stated: “Started the National Herald newspaper in 1942… At that time, the British tried to suppress it, today Modi government is also doing the same ans ED is being used for this. ED has given notice to our president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.”
“The Modi government should know that by registering such fake and fabricated cases, they cannot succeed in their cowardly conspiracy,” Singhvi stated.
The case to probe alleged monetary irregularities within the party-promoted Young Indian that owns the National Herald newspaper was registered lately. The company, officers stated, needs to report the statements of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi beneath felony sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The National Herald is revealed by Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and owned by Young Indian Pvt Limited. The company lately questioned senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Pawan Bansal as a part of the investigation.
The questioning of the senior Congress leaders and the Gandhis is a part of the ED’s investigation to know the shareholding sample, monetary transactions and position of the promoters of Young Indian and AJL, officers stated.
The company registered a recent case beneath the felony provisions of the PMLA after a trial courtroom right here took cognisance of an Income Tax Department probe in opposition to Young Indian Pvt Ltd on the idea of a personal felony criticism filed by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy in 2013.
The members of the primary household of the Congress social gathering, together with Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, are among the many promoters and shareholders of Young Indian. After the ED examined Kharge final month, the Congress’ whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore accused the federal government of “harassing” him.
BJP MP Swamy had accused Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds with Young Indian Pvt Ltd paying solely Rs 50 lakh to acquire the correct to recuperate Rs 90.25 crore that Associate Journals Ltd owed to the Congress.
The Delhi High Court in February final yr issued a discover to the Gandhis for his or her response on Swamy’s plea in search of to steer proof within the matter earlier than the trial courtroom. The Gandhi’s had secured separate bails from the courtroom in 2015 after they furnished private bonds of Rs 50,000 and one surety. They, nevertheless, contended within the Delhi High Court that the plea by Swamy was “misconceived and premature”.
The different accused on this case filed by Swamy are Suman Dubey and technocrat Sam Pitroda. They have earlier stated that they did nothing unsuitable.
(With PTI inputs)
Source: www.financialexpress.com”