Sonia Gandhi to appear before ED again for probe in National Herald case

Congress president Sonia Gandhi was interrogated by the ED for six hours on Tuesday

Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi will appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday for the third round of questioning related to a money laundering case linked to the National Herald newspaper. 

 

The Congress president, 75, was interrogated by the probe agency for six hours on Tuesday. Officials said Sonia Gandhi's response was sought to around 30 questions regarding her involvement with the National Herald newspaper and the company under scanner in the case, Young Indian Pvt Ltd. 

 

Sonia's questioning by the ED on Tuesday also came along with massive protests by Congress leaders against the alleged misuse of central agencies. Congress MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, had gathered at the Vijay Chowk to march to the Rashtrapati Bhavan to draw the President's attention to the case. They were detained by the Delhi Police, who were caught on camera manhandling the party leaders. 

 

Rahul Gandhi was also questioned by the ED for five days last month in the National Herald case. The case to investigate alleged financial irregularities under the PMLA was registered about nine months ago after a trial court took cognisance of an Income Tax department probe carried out based on a private criminal complaint filed by former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Subramanian Swamy in 2013.

 

The YIL promoters include Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Swamy had alleged that the Gandhis cheated and misappropriated funds, with YIL paying only Rs 50 lakh to obtain the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore that AJL owed to Congress.

 

(With ANI inputs)