In National Herald case, Enforcement Directorate summons Sonia Gandhi on July 21

In the National Herald case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned Congress president Sonia Gandhi to join the investigation on July 21, sources said on Monday. Last month, the Congress chief, who tested positive for COVID-19, and was admitted to a hospital, had written to the ED, seeking a deferment of the June 23 summon by a few weeks till she recovers completely. The Central agency had granted the Congress president the time. 

Rahul Gandhi questioned for over 50 hours in National Herald case 

Earlier, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was questioned by the ED for 50 hours over five days in connection with the same case. During the questioning, Republic learnt that the Member of Parliament from Wayanad was shown documents pertaining to his shareholding in Young Indian Private Limited, and specific financial transactions involving Associated Journals Limited, and was asked to go through them. The interrogation of the Gandhis comes as a part of the probe to ascertain the shareholding pattern, financial transactions and role of the promoters of Young Indian and AJL. 

While the answers and explanations given by the former MP from Amethi were said to be 'unsatisfactory', he had notably blamed now-deceased Congress leader Motilal Vora for alleged financial irregularities in Young Indian and Associated Journals Ltd transactions. The Indian politician told the agency officials that the former Congress Treasurer was responsible for all transactions linked to the acquisition of AJL by Young Indian, sources informed. Sources further said that during the course of interrogation, the 51-year-old denied having any personal knowledge of loans or transactions made by the Young Indian - a company controlled by the Gandhi family - and blamed everything on Vora.

The National Herald case

In the year 2013, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy filed a private criminal complaint wherein he accused Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi and several others of ‘misappropriating’ assets of Associated Journals worth over Rs 2,000 crore by ‘paying just Rs 50 lakh’.

In December 2015, both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi got bail by furnishing a personal bond of Rs.50,000 each and a surety after the court ruled out apprehension that they will flee the country. The ED has registered a fresh case against the Gandhi duo under the criminal provisions of PMLA after a trial court took cognizance of an Income Tax Department probe against Young Indian. Earlier in April, the agency also questioned senior Congress leaders Pawan Bansal and Mallikarjun Kharge in the case.