According to reports, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) would most likely summon Rahul Gandhi for questioning in connection with the ongoing probe into the Congress-run National Herald newspaper.
Rahul Gandhi to be questioned by ED today
The inquiry agency may examine the opposition leader of the Lok Sabha in order to conclude its investigation into the newspaper’s irregularities.
Gandhi was last questioned by the ED over the issue in June 2022. His mother, Sonia Gandhi, was also questioned about her involvement in the day-to-day operations of Young Indian Private Limited (YIL). The mother-son duo was questioned regarding the Gandhi family’s ownership of YIL and its shareholding in Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which operates the National Herald daily.
“We intend to finalize the AJL investigation and file a prosecution complaint so that the case can proceed to trial. In an August 12 article, the Hindustan Times quoted an ED officer as saying, “All connected persons, including Rahul Gandhi, may be called soon.”
On August 2, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the ED was planning to raid him after his ‘Chakravyuh’ address during the Budget 2024 debate in Parliament. In a post on X, Gandhi stated that he would wait for the central investigation agency with ‘tea and biscuits.
‘Apparently, 2 in 1 did not enjoy my Chakravyuh speech. ED ‘insiders’ tell me a raid is being planned,” Gandhi said on X, probably referring to Home Minister Amit Shah as ‘2 in 1.’
CONTEXT
The National Herald, founded by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, was published by the AJL. In 2010, the AJL, which was struggling financially, was taken over by a newly formed YIL, which was led by Gandhi loyalists Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda.
There are claims that the AJL was created in the 1930s to print the National Herald and had 5,000 independence fighters as shareholders. AJL is now owned by the Gandhi family. In 2008, AJL announced that it would stop printing newspapers and instead enter the real estate industry.
In 2010, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, together with other Congress officials, founded YIL with a capital of Rs 5 lakh. It vowed to do charity but, according to claims, did nothing until 2016.
In November 2023, the agency attached Rs 751 crore worth assets of AJL and YI, alleging a criminal conspiracy to shift control of properties worth “hundreds of crores of rupees” to the “beneficial owners” of Young Indian, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.