In a major legal setback to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), a Delhi court on Tuesday refused to take cognisance of the money laundering case linked to the National Herald, granting significant relief to senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The ruling is being seen as a crucial development in a politically sensitive case that has remained in focus for years.
The order was passed by Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne at the Rouse Avenue Court, which held that the ED’s complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) did not meet the basic legal requirements to proceed further.
Court Flags Procedural Roadblocks
While delivering the operative portion of the order, Judge Vishal Gogne noted that the Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has already registered a First Information Report (FIR) in the National Herald matter.
In light of this, the court observed that it would be premature to examine the Enforcement Directorate’s arguments on their merits at this stage.
On these grounds, the court refused to take cognisance of the ED’s money laundering complaint.
Allegations Levelled By The ED
The Enforcement Directorate had named Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi as accused in the case, along with late Congress leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, and others including Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and the private company Young Indian. The agency alleged that the accused were involved in a conspiracy to illegally acquire assets belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the publisher of the National Herald newspaper, as per PTI.
According to the ED, properties valued at nearly ₹2,000 crore were allegedly taken over through Young Indian, a company in which Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are said to hold a combined 76 per cent stake. The agency claimed that AJL’s assets were “fraudulently” transferred in exchange for a ₹90 crore loan, forming the basis of its money laundering case.
These allegations have been strongly denied by the Congress leadership, which has consistently maintained that no wrongdoing took place and that the case is politically motivated.
