Assam CM Sarma advises Rahul Gandhi to cooperate with ED; 'Innocents don't get punished'

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has advised Rahul Gandhi to comply with the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) summons and present his side before the officers. Sarma even implied that the Congress leaders should surrender to the law and let it take its course because no innocent person gets punished in India. "Rahul Gandhi is an MP of this country. When ED summoned him, he should appear before them and present his side before ED officers. After that law will take its own course. India's law is so strong that you will never be punished if you are innocent", the CM said.

Rahul Gandhi was summoned by ED for questioning in the National Herald case which pertains to the probe into the alleged financial irregularities in the party-promoted Young Indian that owns the National Herald newspaper. Published by Associate Journals Ltd, the newspaper is owned by Young Indian Pvt Limited which has Rahul and Sonia Gandhi as promoters and shareholders. Rahul and Sonia Gandhi are currently out on bail in the case. 

Further weighing in on the issue, CM Sarma denounced the presence of protestors who had gathered outside the ED office in Delhi to show solidarity with the Gandhi scion. "Through his drama, Rahul Gandhi has proven that he has done something wrong. Otherwise, he would've gone there silently and given a statement to media later," Sarma said. "But procession was taken out and he appeared before ED with an army. India has changed, nobody will be scared of you now". He even alleged that Rahul Gandhi wanted to scare ED with his popularity with an intention to steer clear of any action against him.

Why was Rahul Gandhi summoned?

The questioning of the senior Congress leaders and the Gandhis is a part of the ED's investigation to understand the shareholding pattern, financial transactions, and role of the promoters of Young Indian and AJL, officials said. 

The probe agency had registered a fresh case under the criminal provisions of the PMLA after a trial court took cognizance of an Income Tax Department probe against Young Indian Pvt Ltd on the basis of a private criminal complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy in 2013.

Dr Swamy had accused Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds, with Young Indian Pvt Ltd paying only Rs 50 lakh to obtain the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore that Associate Journals Ltd owed to the Congress.