NEW DELHI/ITANAGAR, 16 Dec: A court here on Tuesday refused to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) money laundering charge against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and five others in the National Herald case.
The ED said it would file an appeal against the court order.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne noted that the chargesheet filed in the case is based on an investigation into a complaint by a private person and not on an FIR of a predicate offence. Its cognisance is impermissible in law, the judge said.
Reading out the operative part from the order, the judge said the Delhi Police’s economic offences wing has already lodged an FIR in the case, and hence it will be premature to adjudicate on the ED’s arguments in the case based on merits.
The ED has accused Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, as well as late party leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, along with Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and a private company, Young Indian, of conspiracy and money laundering.
It has been alleged that they acquired properties worth approximately Rs 2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which publishes the National Herald newspaper.
The investigation agency further alleged that the Gandhis held the majority 76 percent shares in Young Indian, which “fraudulently” usurped the assets of AJL in exchange for a Rs 90 crore loan.
Meanwhile, the Congress claimed the “illegality” of the Narendra Modi government and its “politically motivated prosecution stands fully exposed” after a court in Delhi refused to take cognisance of the ED’s National Herald money laundering case against Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and others.
In a statement, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the ED’s proceedings against Congress leadership – Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi – in the case have been found to be “completely illegal and mala fide” by the court.