ED summons to Sonia, Rahul Gandhi in National Herald money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday sent summons to Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi and former party president Rahul Gandhi for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the National Herald newspaper, officials said.

The case was registered recently to probe alleged financial irregularities in the party-promoted Young Indian, which owns the National Herald newspaper.

The agency, according to officials, wants to record the statements of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The National Herald is published by Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and owned by Young Indian Pvt Limited. The agency recently questioned senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Pawan Bansal as part of the investigation.

Confirming the ED summons, party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said: "When it was started in 1942, the National Herald newspaper was suppressed by the British. Today the Modi govt is also doing the same and ED is being used for this. The ED has given notice to our president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi."