The Enforcement Directorate had summoned Rahul Gandhi to probe alleged financial irregularities in the Congress-promoted Young Indian that owns the National Herald newspaper
Rahul Gandhi appears before ED. Twitter/@INCIndia
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by several party leaders, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in a money laundering investigation related to the National Herald newspaper.
News agency PTI quoted officials saying that Rahul Gandhi entered the headquarters of the federal probe agency in central Delhi around 11.10 am and is expected to write down his statement.
When Rahul Gandhi left for the ED office from the Congress headquarters in Akbar Road on Monday morning, he was accompanied by party leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and former finance minister P Chidambaram.
Rahul Gandhi, is a Z+ category protectee of the CRPF after the Union government withdrew the Gandhi family’s SPG cover in 2019.
The ED will record the statement of the Lok Sabha member from Wayanad in Kerala under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Rahul Gandhi is expected to be questioned about the incorporation of Young Indian company, the operations of the National Herald and the funds transfer within the news media establishment.
The probe pertains to alleged financial irregularities in the party-promoted Young Indian that owns the National Herald newspaper.
“The Congress party will fight this oppression by the Modi government,” Indian Youth Congress President Srinivas BV told
Since Monday morning, large number of Congress workers, leaders and supporters congregated at the AICC headquarters in the national capital. They were seen holding placards and raising slogans in support of Rahul Gandhi.
To avoid any untoward incident, Delhi Police detained Congress workers sloganeering in support of Rahul Gandhi outside the AICC headquarters ahead of his appearance before the ED.
The Congress was planning a mega ‘Satyagrah’ protest in Delhi but they were denied the permission. The march was planned from the party headquarters to the probe agency office.
Addressing the media minutes ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s appearance before ED, Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala said that the party started Young Indian and the majority of the money went into paying salaries to journalists and staff.
He further claimed that there is no money-laundering in the National Herald matter and the loan given to the newspaper was for payment of salaries of journalists and to address other expenses.
“It became difficult to run National Herald and Journals Limited. Journalists could not be paid. The merger was done to pay journalists their salaries,” the Congress general secretary said.
Delhi Police have detained Congress workers, supporters sloganeering in support of party leader Rahul Gandhi outside the AICC headquarters in New Delhi ahead of his appearance before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday in the National Herald case.
National Herald is published by the Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and owned by Young Indian Pvt Limited.
With inputs from PTI
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