Congress Stages Nationwide Protest Against ED Over Sonia-Rahul Chargesheet

Congress has called for a nationwide protest today after the ED filed a prosecution complaint against Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and others in the National Herald money laundering case. Congress has announced that a nationwide protest will be held against the Centre in front of the state headquarters of the Enforcement Directorate and district-level central government offices on April 16. All India Congress Committee general secretary KC Venugopal issued a statement calling upon all Congress workers, leaders and supporters to protest against the alleged political vendetta being carried out by the Modi government.

Congress called it a state-sponsored crime
In the statement, he wrote, Indian National Congress categorically condemns the move of the Modi government to seize the property of National Herald in an arbitrary and unjust manner and file a chargesheet against the party leadership. This is not a matter of due process of law; it is a state-sponsored crime masquerading as a violation of the rule of law. The complaint filed against Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and other party leaders in Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court is a blatant abuse of power.

Congress hits back at ED

He wrote, this is a direct attack on the idea of ​​democratic opposition, a vulgar attempt at political intimidation by the ruling regime. This is nothing but vendetta politics. Venugopal declared that the Congress party will not remain silent and they will fight for the values ​​of truth, justice and democracy. He called upon all Pradesh Congress Committees to hold protests on 16 April.

What did ED say in its chargesheet?
In its chargesheet in the National Herald case, the ED has said that Congress leaders had hatched a criminal conspiracy to usurp the assets worth Rs 2,000 crore of its parent company AJL and for this, they transferred 99 per cent shares for just Rs 50 lakh to their private company Young Indian, in which Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are majority shareholders. In the prosecution complaint filed in the court of Special Judge Vishal Gogane under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the federal investigation agency has made former Congress President Sonia Gandhi accused number one and her son and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi accused number two.

Sonia-Rahul named in ED Case

Other accused in the ED chargesheet filed on April 9 include Congress leaders Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda, two companies Young Indian and Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd, and Sunil Bhandari (of Dotex Merchandise). The ED has filed a chargesheet under sections 44 and 45 of the PMLA for money laundering and also under section 70 (offences by companies). The ED has sought punishment for the accused under section 4 of the PMLA, which carries a jail term of up to seven years. The court has posted the matter for hearing on April 25.

This is possibly the first time that an ED money laundering case has arisen from a subordinate court taking cognizance of a private complaint and subsequently issuing summons to the accused to initiate trial. The agency usually takes cognizance of offences listed in Schedule A and B of the Act, under the PMLA.