For three consecutive days from 13 to 15 June, Rahul Gandhi was questioned by the ED for about 30 hours. He was questioned over multiple sessions and his statements were recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at ED office. ANI
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the fourth day of questioning in the ongoing investigation in connection with the National Herald money laundering case.
The Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad in Kerala arrived at the ED headquarters on APJ Abdul Kalam Road in central Delhi around 11.05 am with his “Z+” category CRPF security escort.
He was accompanied by his sister and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
For three consecutive days from 13 to 15 June, Rahul Gandhi was questioned by the ED for about 30 hours. He was questioned over multiple sessions and his statements were recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Protests were reported in by Congress workers and leaders in parts of the national capital. To avoid any untoward incidents, a huge contingent of police and paramilitary personnel was deployed around ED’s office even as Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) has been imposed in the area like last week.
The fourth day of questioning was deferred from 17 June to today after Rahul Gandhi requested the agency for postponing the session as he wanted to be with his mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who is hospitalised for post-COVID-19 issues.
According to ED sources, Rahul Gandhi had put the onus of entire transaction of the takeover of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) on former Congress treasurer Motilal Vora.
Sources told News18 that Rahul claimed Vora, who passed away in December 2020, was responsible for all the transactions related to the Young Indian’s acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd’s (AJL) assets worth hundreds of crores from the party.
The probe pertains to alleged financial irregularities in the Congress-promoted Young Indian Private Limited, which owns the National Herald newspaper.
The ED is understood to be asking Rahul Gandhi about the incorporation of the Young Indian Private Limited, operations of the National Herald, the loan given by the party to the newspaper’s publisher Associated Journals Limited (AJL), and the transfer of funds within the news media establishment.
The federal agency has also summoned Congress’ interim president Sonia Gandhi for questioning in the case on 23 June.
News agency ANI quoted sources saying that the investigators in the ED have also questioned Rahul Gandhi to describe about the circumstances under which AJL was acquired by YIL in 2010, making it the owner of all assets owned by the National Herald newspaper.
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The National Herald, started by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, was published by the AJL. In 2010, the AJL, which faced financial difficulties, was taken over by a newly-floated YIL with Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda as directors, both of them Gandhi loyalists.
In a complaint in the Delhi High Court, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy accused Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds.
Congress leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge and Pawan Bansal were earlier questioned in the case.
Meanwhile, Congress MPs and leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Salman Khurshid, K Suresh, V Narayanasamy, sat on a ‘Satyagraha’ at Jantar Mantar in Delhi to protest Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons to Rahul Gandhi.
AICC General Secretary Ajay Maken said that at 5 pm today (20 June), the Congress workers will meet President Ram Nath Kovind and will inform him “how the Congress MP was harassed and how ED is being misused.”
Maken claimed that Congress MP S Jothimani was allegedly beaten up by Delhi Police during the protest against ED probe on Rahul Gandhi in National Herald Case.
Indian Youth Congress workers also took part in agitation and stopped a train, block railway track at Delhi’s Shivaji Bridge railway station. They were protesting against the ED’s summons issued to Rahul Gandhi and the Centre’s Agnipath recruitment scheme.
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