Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday recorded his statement for the third time Before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case related to the National Herald newspaper. She reached the federal agency’s office in central Delhi at 11 am with her children Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi.
The session began at around 11:15 am by a team of investigators including the Chief Investigating Officer and a person who takes statements as directed by Gandhi on a computer. Priyanka Gandhi is staying back at ‘Pravartana Bhavan’ ED Headquarters to provide any assistance or medical care to her mother as before.
Gandhi, 75, was questioned for over eight hours during the last two protests, where he faced around 65-70 questions. The questioning is expected to end on Wednesday as the agency will give Gandhi a set of other 30-40 questions.
Read also: Why Motilal Vora’s name came in Sonia Gandhi’s ED questioning
The inquiry pertains to allegations of alleged financial irregularities in Congress-promoted Young Indian Pvt Ltd, which owns the National Herald newspaper. Officials said the sessions are being held with COVID-appropriate protocols and are being recorded in audio-video mode.
The Congress condemned the agency’s action against its top leadership, terming it “political vendetta” and “oppression”. The Delhi Police, as in the last two times, deployed a massive force, including CRPF and RAF personnel, and barricaded the entire one kilometer between Gandhi’s residence and the ED office on the Janpath-Akbar road. Traffic restrictions were also imposed in the area.
The ED had also questioned Rahul Gandhi in this case last month in sessions of over 50 hours spread over five days. The move to question the Gandhi family was taken after the ED registered a fresh case under criminal provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act late last year. In 2013, a trial court here took cognizance of the Income Tax Department’s investigation against Young Indian based on a private criminal complaint by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy.
Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are among the promoters and majority shareholders in Young Indian. Like his son, the Congress president also holds 38 per cent stake. Swamy had accused Gandhi and others of conspiracy to commit fraud and misappropriation of funds, in which Young Indian had paid only Rs 50 lakh to Congress to get the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore.
In February last year, the Delhi High Court had issued a notice to the Gandhi family seeking their response on Swamy’s plea. In April, the ED had questioned Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Pawan Bansal in this case. The Congress has maintained that no wrong has been committed and the Young Indian is a “non-profit” company established under Section 25 of the Companies Act and hence there can be no question of money laundering.
During his statement before the ED, Rahul Gandhi is understood to have maintained that there was no personal acquisition of the property by himself or his family. According to the ED, assets worth around Rs 800 crore are with AJL and the agency wants to know from the Gandhi family how a non-profit company like Young Indian was carrying out its business activities of letting out its land and building assets. ,
read all breaking news And today’s fresh news Here