Rahul Gandhi gets no relief as ED issues 4th summon for June 17 in National Herald case

In a key development, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) again on Friday, June 17, Republic learnt from sources. The Gandhi scion is under the scanner of the ED in a money laundering case linked to the National Herald and was questioned on Monday, Tuesday as well as Wednesday. 

Republic learnt that the Member of Parliament was confronted with documents pertaining to his shareholding in Young Indian Private Limited. Sources say that the Parliamentarian told the central agency that Young Indian is a non-profitable company incorporated under special provisions of the Companies Act. On this, the agency interjected and reminded the 51-year-old that since its establishment in 2010, the company has not done any charitable work, and asked him to present document evidence, if he could, to support his claim as per sources. 

Earlier, sources had said that the answers and explanations given by the politician were not satisfactory, and it appeared that he was tutored by his lawyers on how to answer and avoid certain aspects.

Congress protests against Rahul Gandhi's grilling 

Meanwhile, Congress workers protested across India against the Cental agency summoning their former President. In a bid to display their rage, the workers set tyres ablaze. Thick black smog was seen engulfing the region with the pile of tyres burning on the street outside the ED office, where workers are gathered in large numbers marking their 'Dharna'. This, despite the imposition of Section 144, which prohibits the assembly of four or more people at any given spot in an area. 

Amidst this, sitting on a 'dharna' were senior Congress leaders such as Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and Randeep Singh Surjewala, among others who asserted that they were carrying their protest in a 'Gandhian' way. "Is this a banana republic? Whatever happening is very unfortunate, it is unprecedented," said Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, alleging that the police were doing 'goonda gardi' on the instructions of Home Minister Amit Shah. Bhupesh Baghel added, "Police is not letting anyone go and come. They are suppressing our voice."

On the other hand, Surjewala asserted that protests were being carried out in a 'peaceful manner'. "All of this proves that they have crushed the Indian Constitution under bulldozers. Delhi police is doing goonda gardi, we are Gandhiwadi. We are protesting in a peaceful way," the Congress General-Secretary remarked, adding, "Delhi police puppets should remember...sab yaad rakha jayega."

On June 16, the grand old party has called for gherao of Governor Houses across the nation to protest against the BJP-led central government.