New Delhi, April 2025 — The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a detailed chargesheet against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in connection with the National Herald case, accusing them of involvement in a money laundering scheme and the alleged misappropriation of real estate assets valued at over ₹661 crore.
The case revolves around the transfer of properties owned by Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) — the company that once published the National Herald newspaper — to Young Indian Pvt Ltd, a company in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are majority stakeholders. The ED alleges that this transfer, conducted for a nominal sum of ₹50 lakh, allowed the Gandhis to gain control of assets worth hundreds of crores, including prime real estate in Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow.
The chargesheet, which also names senior Congress leaders Sam Pitroda and Suman Dubey, claims the transaction was orchestrated to deliberately obscure the nature of the deal and convert assets meant for public interest into private holdings. The ED argues that Young Indian was used as a shell entity to facilitate the acquisition of AJL’s vast property portfolio under the guise of a not-for-profit arrangement.
This case originally stemmed from a 2013 private complaint filed by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, who alleged that the Gandhis and their associates had conspired to acquire AJL’s debts and assets using party funds, thereby violating several financial and criminal laws.
So far, assets worth ₹751.9 crore have been provisionally attached by the ED as part of its ongoing investigation.
The Indian National Congress has strongly rejected the allegations, labeling the charges as “politically motivated” and an attempt to tarnish the reputation of its leaders. The party insists that Young Indian operates within the legal framework as a not-for-profit entity and that no personal gain was involved in the transaction.
The case is expected to move to trial in the coming months, potentially setting the stage for a high-profile legal battle with major political implications.
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