Natioanal Herald Case- ED names Congress leader Sonia Gandhi as accused no 1 and Rahul Gandhi as accused no 2

BW Online Bureau Apr 16, 2025

The "principal officers" of AJL, Young Indian, and "key" Congress office bearers entered into a "criminal conspiracy" to acquire assets worth Rs 2,000 crore of AJL, a public company. This they did by transferring 99% shares in favour of Young Indian, a private company, for Rs 50 lakh : ED stated in chargesheet

New Delhi, April 16

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a chargesheet in the National Herald money laundering case where the agency has claimed that Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi orchestrated a "criminal conspiracy" to "usurp" properties of National Herald's publisher, Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), worth Rs 2,000 crore, by transferring 99% of the shares for just Rs 50 lakh.

The assets were acquired by a private firm, Young Indian, which is controlled by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul. The chargesheet also names Congress leaders Sam Pitroda and Suman Dubey as accused.

The current market value of the assets is now Rs 5,000 crore, and the ED has identified the "proceeds of crime" at Rs 988 crores. The AJL was founded by India's first prime minister, Jawarharlal Nehru.

In the ED chargesheet, Sonia has been named accused no 1, and Rahul as accused no 2. A special court will decide on taking cognisance of the chargesheet on April 25.

The case is based on an order of a trial court that allowed the Income Tax department to investigate the affairs of the National Herald and conduct a tax assessment of the Gandhis. The trial court order came on a petition filed by former minister Subramanian Swamy in 2013.

The ED chargesheet states that the "principal officers" of AJL, Young Indian, and "key" Congress office bearers entered into a "criminal conspiracy" to acquire assets worth Rs 2,000 crore of AJL, a public company. This they did by transferring 99% shares in favour of Young Indian, a private company, for Rs 50 lakh. While Sonia and Rahul own a 76% stake in Young Indian, 24% belonged to the late Motilal Vohra and the late Oscar Fernandes.

As per the chargesheet, the leaders "converted" the outstanding loan of Rs 90.21 crore given by Congress to AJL into Rs 9.02 crore equity shares. All these shares were then transferred to Young Indian for a "paltry" Rs 50 lakh, as per the ED.

The ED has sought punishment for Sonia, Rahul and other accused under Section 4 of the PMLA, where jail term can extend up to seven years.