ED summons Sonia, Rahul Gandhi in National Herald Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and party MP Rahul Gandhi over the National Herald case, which was closed by the investigating agency in 2015.

Addressing a press conference, Congress party slammed the BJP accusing it of using puppet agencies to intimidate political opponents.

"Started the National Herald newspaper in 1942, at that time the British tried to suppress it, today Modi govt is also doing the same & ED is being used for this. ED has given notice to our president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi," Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said in a press conference on Wednesday.

The federal agency's move followed the questioning of senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Treasurer Pawan Bansal in April this year in New Delhi in connection with its money laundering probe into the National Herald case.

The agency then recorded the statements of both the Congress leaders then under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). 

The National Herald is published by Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and owned by Young Indian Pvt Limited (YIL). While Kharge is the CEO of YIL, Bansal is the Managing Director of AJL.

The ED is currently investigating the shareholding pattern and financial transactions as well as role of party functionaries in the functioning of AJL and YIL.The YIL promoters include Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy had alleged that the Gandhis cheated and misappropriated funds, with YIL paying only Rs 50 lakh to obtain the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore that AJL owed to the Congress.He had filed a complaint with a Delhi court earlier.

Following the court taking cognisance of an Income Tax Department probe against YIL on Swamy's petition, the ED also registered a fresh case under PMLA.