The Central Investigation Agency Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a prosecution complicant (charge sheet) against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Congress Overseas chief Sam Pitroda in the National Herald Money Laundering case against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Congress Overseas chief Sam Pitroda.
The names of Suman Dubey and others have also been included in the charge sheet filed by the ED. The court has made the hearing of taking cognizance of the charge sheet on 25 April. At the same time, the ED has already seized assets worth more than Rs 64 crore in this case.
The entire timeline of the National Herald Case-
-November 2012: Subramanian Swamy filed a criminal complaint accusing the Gandhi family of grabbing land.
-June 2014: The magistrate sent summons to all the accused and said that prima facie evidence is against them.
-Gast 2014: ED started the investigation whether any money laundering has taken place in the case.
-September 2015: ED resumed investigation.
-September 2015: Patiala House Court granted bail to Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.
-Ravari 2016: The Supreme Court refused to cancel the action against the accused.
-Pral 2019: Giving relief to the Gandhi family in the National Herald case, the Supreme Court stayed the Delhi High Court’s order of February 28, in which Delhi was ordered to vacate ‘Herald House’ in Delhi, with the National Herald’s office.
-May 2020: The Enforcement Directorate has attached to the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the money laundering investigation against the Congress Party -promoted Associated Journal Limited (AJL) in Bandra area of Mumbai, which is priced at Rs 16.38 crore.
-Ravari 2021: BJP MP Subramanian Swamy has moved the Delhi High Court against the trial court order to reject his plea to prosecute Congress President Sonia Gandhi, his son Rahul and others in the National Herald case.
-31 March 2022: The Delhi bench of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal has accepted the appeal filed by the directors of Young Indian including Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi against the income tax evaluation of assets of Associated Journal Limited in the National Herald case.
-Pral 2022: Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge reached the Enforcement Directorate (ED) headquarters to record his statement regarding the money laundering case related to a land deal.
-Pral 2022: Enforcement Directorate recorded the statement of Senior Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal in a case related to Associated Journal Limited (AJL) and Young Indian.
-June 2022: ED summoned Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for questioning in the National Herald case.
-Agast 2022: Enforcement Directorate sealed the Young Indian Office in Delhi.
-October 2022: Karnataka Congress President DK Shivkumar and MP DK Suresh were summoned by ED.
-November 2022: DK appeared in Shivkumar case.
-June 2023: Former MP and TPCC Executive Chairman Anjan Kumar Yadav appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
-November 2023: ED ordered assets worth Rs 752 crore in the National Herald case.
-Pral 2024: PMLA body upheld the decision to confiscate assets worth Rs 752 crore.
-Zulai 2024: Delhi High Court asked Swami, Sonia, Rahul to file a written note on the petition in the National Herald case.
-Pral 2025: ED started capturing properties related to Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.
-15 April 2025: ED filed a prosecution complaint (charge sheet) in the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi in the National Herald Money Laundering case.
What is National Herald Case
Let us know that the National Herald was published by the company named Associated Journals Limited. This company was established in 1937. Apart from Jawaharlal Nehru, there were 5000 freedom fighters shareholders in this company. The company used to publish two daily newspapers named Qaumi Awaaz in Urdu and Navjivan in Hindi, but the British government banned the newspaper.
After this, this newspaper was resumed in 1945. But this company gradually went into loss and in 2008, the UPA government of Congress stopped the publication of the newspaper. In 2010, this company had 1057 share holders. The Holding Young India Limited of this loss -making company in 2011 was transferred. In return, Young India gave only 50 lakh rupees to ‘The Associate Journal’.
Subrahmanyam Swamy accused
After this, in the year 2012, BJP leader Subrahmanyam Swamy lodged a complaint in the lower court. He alleged that the fraud was betrayed by Young India Limited in the acquisition of Associated Journals Limited. Some Congress leaders were involved in this. Swamy alleged that Yil had wrongly occupied the property of the National Herald.
Congress leaders targeted
At the same time, Congress leaders have targeted the government, questioning the action of ED, which includes leaders like Jairam Ramesh and Kamal Nath. Kamal Nath, senior Congress leader and former MP CM Kamal Nath said, “The seizure of the properties of the National Herald by the Enforcement Directorate and filing a charge sheet against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and some others is a political oppression.”
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, ‘Seizure of the property of National Herald is a state -sponsored offense wearing a mask of rule of law. Filing a charge sheet against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and some others is nothing but the politics and threat of revenge by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. The Congress and its leadership will not remain silent. Satyamev Jayate.’
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