Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi named in ED chargesheet in National Herald case out of vendetta: Mallikarjun Kharge

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said that party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were named in ED chargesheet out of vendetta, adding that the properties of the company were also attached for political reasons.

"Cannot be mere coincidence that ED action came immediately after AICC session," said Kharge at the meet of AICC general secretaries and in-charges, adding that they were not be be scared by the chargesheet.

On April 15 The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet against senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others, alleging money laundering in connection with the National Herald case. The chargesheet, filed on April 9, was presented before Special Judge Vishal Gogne, who posted the matter for further proceedings on April 25.


In addition to Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, the chargesheet names Congress leaders Sam Pitroda and Suman Dubey as accused. The ED has invoked Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which pertain to the offence of money laundering and its punishment.

The National Herald case

The ED’s investigation began in 2021 following a private complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on June 26, 2014. The complaint, taken cognisance of by a Delhi metropolitan magistrate, alleged a “criminal conspiracy” involving senior Congress figures and Young Indian Private Limited in the acquisition of Associated Journals Limited (AJL) — a company that publishes the National Herald newspaper and web platform.

According to the ED, Young Indian — in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi each hold a 38% stake — acquired AJL’s assets, estimated to be worth over Rs 2,000 crore, for just Rs 50 lakh. The agency alleges this transaction was part of a larger scheme involving money laundering.

The ED claims its investigation has "conclusively" found that Young Indian, "beneficially owned" by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, acquired AJL’s assets at a highly undervalued price. Furthermore, the agency alleges that these properties were later used to generate proceeds of crime through bogus donations amounting to Rs 18 crore, advance rent of Rs 38 crore, and fake advertisement revenue of Rs 29 crore.

The ED's legal proceedings have faced multiple challenges but were upheld by both the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court, allowing the investigation to continue.