New Delhi: Delhi Police has registered an FIR against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, along with several others, in the National Herald case following a complaint by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which alleges “abuse of position” and personal gain by the party’s top leadership.
Officials said the Economic Offences Wing filed the FIR on October 3, naming the Gandhis, Congress leaders Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda, Young Indian (YI), Dotex Merchandise Ltd., Dotex promoter Sunil Bhandari, Associated Journals Ltd. (AJL), and unknown others. The case invokes IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 403 (dishonest misappropriation), 406 (criminal breach of trust), and 420 (cheating).
These accused entities also figure in the ED chargesheet submitted in April before a Delhi court, which is scheduled to hear the matter next on December 16. The Congress has repeatedly termed the probe “petty vendetta politics” and called the ED a “coalition partner” of the BJP.
The ED used Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act to share evidence with police for filing the predicate offence, allowing the agency to strengthen its money laundering case. The FIR builds on allegations first flagged in 2014 when a Delhi court took cognisance of BJP leader Subramanian Swamy’s complaint over financial irregularities linked to the National Herald.
According to officials, the FIR aligns with details provided by the ED in a letter dated September 4, echoing the agency’s chargesheet claims. The ED alleges a “criminal conspiracy” involving Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, the late Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, Dubey, Pitroda, and Young Indian in acquiring AJL assets valued at over ₹2,000 crore through fraudulent means.
AJL, publisher of the National Herald, is owned by Young Indian, of which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi hold 38% shares each. Both leaders were questioned for hours by the ED in earlier stages of the probe.
The ED’s chargesheet claims Young Indian, “beneficially owned” by the Gandhis, obtained AJL properties worth ₹2,000 crore for just ₹50 lakh. It further alleges Sonia Gandhi “abused” her position as former Congress president for personal benefit by diverting public funds through Young Indian. (Agencies)
