National Herald case: Delhi court seeks clarifications from ED, decision likely tomorrow

New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) A Delhi court on Thursday sought certain clarifications from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the National Herald money laundering case involving Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and others, as proposed accused.

The Rouse Avenue Court, which examined the case diary, is likely to deliver its decision on Friday on taking cognisance of the prosecution complaint filed by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Earlier, Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne, who was slated to deliver the verdict on July 29, deferred the pronouncement till the second week of August.

The Rouse Avenue Court had reserved its order on July 14 after hearing detailed arguments from the federal anti-money laundering agency as well as the proposed accused, including the Gandhis.

During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju, representing the ED, had claimed that Young Indian Ltd -- in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are majority stakeholders – was used for usurping around Rs 2,000 crore assets of the National Herald by paying a nominal price of Rs 50 lakh.

ASG Raju argued that 'Young Indian' exists just in name, and all the other accused were puppets of the Gandhi family.

As per the ED, a conspiracy was hatched to form Young Indian to acquire control over the vast assets of the now-defunct newspaper, aimed at benefiting the top Congress leadership personally.

The Central agency said that several senior Congress leaders were involved in "fake transactions" made to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the original publisher of the National Herald.

ASG Raju told the court that individuals were making fraudulent advance rent payments over several years at the direction of senior Congress functionaries with fabricated rent receipts.

The ED's prosecution complaint claims that through this alleged malicious takeover, the Congress leadership misappropriated properties belonging to AJL and converted public trusts into personal assets.

In contrast, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Sonia Gandhi, had described the money laundering allegations as "really strange" and "unprecedented", claiming that no tangible assets were involved. Further, LoP Rahul Gandhi claimed that the All India Congress Committee's attempts to revive the pre-Independence era newspaper were misconstrued as a bid to sell its assets.

Highlighting the non-profit objectives of the company, senior advocate R.S. Cheema, representing LoP Rahul Gandhi, said National Herald was never a commercial institution and the AICC just wanted to bring the newspaper back on the rails.

The controversy surrounding the National Herald's assets first surfaced in 2012 when BJP leader Subramanian Swamy filed a complaint in a trial court, accusing Congress leaders of cheating and breach of trust in the acquisition of AJL.

--IANS

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