ED summons Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi in National Herald case

Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday summoned Congress interim president and party MP Rahul Gandhi Gandhi over the National Herald case, which was closed by the investigating agency in 2015 according to official sources.

While Sonia Gandhi, 75, has been asked to depose before the federal agency on June 8, Rahul Gandhi is understood to have been asked to appear earlier.

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said at a press conference that the senior Gandhi will comply with the summons. "Rahul Gandhi will go if he is here or he may seek a fresh date," Singhvi added.

The agency, officials said, wants to record the statements of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is questioning former Union Minister Pawan Bansal in the National Herald Case, informed sources on Tuesday.

The ED had also questioned senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge in connection with its money laundering probe into the National Herald case, sources said.

The federal agency questioned Kharge, the 79-year-old Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, for five hours and his statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), said an ED



official.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Subramanian Swamy filed the case in 2012 accusing Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, party leader Rahul Gandhi and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds.

Kharge was holding the position of office bearer with Young India and Associated Journals Limited (AJL). Officials added that they wanted some clarification from Kharge for which he was called for questioning.

The investigations in the National Herald corruption case, which is linked to the Congress and the Gandhis, came following accusations of cheating, conspiracy and criminal breach of trust in the acquisition of the Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which ran the Congress mouthpiece, National Herald, by Young Indian Pvt Ltd.

The first family of the Congress party, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, are among the promoters and shareholders of Young Indian.

The Delhi High Court in February last year issued a notice to the Gandhis for their response on Swamy's plea seeking to lead evidence in the matter before the trial court.

They, however, contended in the Delhi High Court that the plea by Swamy was "misconceived and premature". The other accused in this case filed by Swamy are Suman Dubey and technocrat Sam Pitroda. They have earlier said that they did nothing wrong.