Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the fourth day of questioning in the National Herald money laundering case, clocking over 38 hours in questioninig at the ED headquarters.
Rahul reached the office at 11:05 am and rejoined the questioninig around 4:45 pm after leaving the ED office for over an hour-long break. He has been asked to appear again on Tuesday to record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The fourth day of questioning was deferred from June 17 to Monday after Rahul requested the ED for postponing it as he wanted to be with his mother and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who is in hospital for post-Covid issues.
The ED investigation pertains to alleged financial irregularities in the Congress-promoted Young Indian Private Limited (YIL), which owns the National Herald newspaper. The ED is understood to be asking Rahul about the incorporation of the YIL, operations of the National Herald, the loan given by the Congress party to the newspaper's publisher Associated Journals Limited (AJL), and the transfer of funds within the news media establishment.
Sonia has also been summoned by the ED for questioning in the case on June 23. The Congress has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre of targeting the Opposition leaders by "misusing" investigative agencies and has termed the entire action "political vendetta". Senior party leaders and workers on Monday held a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi against the ED action and the Centre's Agnipath military recruitment scheme.
ED sources said the role of Rahul and his detailed statement in the case is vital as he is a "major shareholder" at 38 per cent in YIL and an "important person" in the affairs of AJL and the National Herald. It is understood that the ED has put across questions to him about the assets owned by AJL.
Rahul was reportedly asked about a loan of Rs 1 crore taken by YIL from a Kolkata-based company in February 2011 and the rationale behind it, according to sources. The questions put to Rahul, the sources indicated, cover a period starting from 2011 when YIL was incorporated. It has also been learnt that the questions cover the changes that took place in the shareholding pattern of the company thereafter, the procedures followed, and the salaries and VRS were given to journalists working in the organisation among other issues.
The Congress has denied any wrongdoing in the case, saying YIL is a non-profit company established under Section 25 of the Companies Act. It said that AJL, which was established in 1937, faced huge debts and the Congress, from 2002 to 2011, gave Rs 90 crore to the National Herald newspaper, out of which Rs 66 crore was used to pay the salaries and VRS of journalists and staffers. The rest of the money was given to the government as a pending lease amount for assets held by AJL, its electricity and building expenses and house tax, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala had said.
Party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Pawan Bansal were questioned in this case recently, and Kharge said he gave "evidence" to the agency during his questioning. The ED recently registered a fresh case under the criminal provisions of the PMLA after a trial court in Delhi took cognisance of an Income Tax department's probe against YIL based on a private criminal complaint filed by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy in 2013.
Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are among the promoters and majority shareholders of YIL. Like her son Rahul, Sonia too has 38 per cent shareholding. Swamy had accused the Gandhis and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds, with YIL paying only Rs 50 lakh to obtain the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore that AJL owed to the Congress.
In February last year, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to the Gandhis for their response to Swamy's plea, seeking to lead evidence in the matter before the trial court. The Gandhis had secured separate bails from the court in 2015 after they furnished personal bonds of Rs 50,000 and one surety. They, however, had contended in the high court that Swamy's plea was "misconceived and premature". The other accused in the case filed by Swamy are close aides of the Gandhis — Suman Dubey and technocrat Sam Pitroda. They have denied any wrongdoing.
(With PTI Inputs)
