A Delhi court on Thursday deferred the hearing in the National Herald money laundering case implicating senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to May 21-22.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne adjourned the matter after noting that co-accused Sam Pitroda had only been notified via email earlier that day. The judge said it would be appropriate to take up arguments regarding the cognizance of the Enforcement Directorate’s chargesheet on the next hearing date.
Subramanian Swamy Seeks Chargesheet Copy
The court also stated it would first hear the ED’s response before deciding on BJP leader Subramanian Swamy’s plea seeking a copy of the chargesheet. Swamy originally filed the private complaint that led to the ED investigation.
Notices were issued on May 2 to several accused, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Congress leaders Sam Pitroda and Suman Dubey, businessman Sunil Bhandari, the company Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd, and the non-profit entity Young Indian.
Judge Gogne emphasized the importance of ensuring due process, stating, “The right to be heard at any stage breathes life into a fair trial.”
Case Details
The ED filed its chargesheet under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which deal with the offense and punishment for money laundering. The agency initiated its investigation in 2021 after a magistrate court took cognizance of Swamy’s 2014 complaint.
According to the ED, the case centers on an alleged criminal conspiracy involving top Congress leaders—including Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, the late Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, along with Pitroda, Dubey, and Young Indian—over the unlawful acquisition of properties originally owned by Associated Journals Limited (AJL), valued at over ₹2,000 crore.
The Gandhis are the majority stakeholders in Young Indian, each reportedly holding a 38% share. They were previously summoned and questioned by the ED over several sessions in connection with the case.
The court is expected to take a call on the cognizance of the chargesheet during the next hearing.
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