National Herald case against Sonia, Rahul collapses; court throws out ED chargesheet

In a major relief to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, a Delhi court on Tuesday refused to take cognisance of the National Herald money laundering chargesheet against the Congress leaders.

Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Court said the complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) was not maintainable as the case was based on a private complaint and not a First Information Report



(FIR).

Apart from Gandhis, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, Young Indian, Dotex Merchandise and Sunil Bhandari were also made accused by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The Congress has maintained that the Enforcement Directorate’s probe is an act of political vendetta, while the agency has asserted that the case involves a serious economic offence with evidence of forgery and money laundering. The ED has alleged that properties of Associated Journals Limited, valued at over 2,000 crore, were wrongly taken over.