Sonia, Rahul get Delhi court notice in National Herald case

Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were today issued notices by a special Delhi court in the National Herald alleged money laundering case.

Special Judge Vishal Gogne, while hearing the matter, said their “right to be heard” was available at the time of cognisance of the chargesheet.

“The right to be heard at any stage breathes life into a fair trial,” the judge said, posting the matter for May 8.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which had filed its chargesheet in the matter recently, has named the Gandhis as accused.

The agency had initiated its investigation in 2021 after a magistrate court took cognisance of a private complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on June 26, 2014.

The complaint, the ED said, highlighted a “criminal conspiracy” by several prominent political figures, including the first family of the Congress led by Sonia Gandhi, her MP son Rahul Gandhi, late Congress leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, head of Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda and private company Young Indian, for their alleged involvement in money laundering in the fraudulent takeover of properties valued at over Rs 2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited.

Sonia and Rahul are majority shareholders of Young Indian with 38 per cent shares held by each of them.

India