The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi on Friday issued formal notices to former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, her son and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and several others, in response to a chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The court has slated the next hearing for May 8, 2025.
“Right to Be Heard” Emphasised
While listing the matter for May 8, Special Judge stressed that the proposed accused must be given an opportunity to present their case before the court takes cognisance of the chargesheet. According to the media, the judge observed that the “right to be heard” at the cognisance stage is fundamental to a fair trial, and that this entitlement extends “at any stage” of the proceedings.
ED’s Chargesheet: April 9 Filing
The ED submitted its prosecution complaint on April 9, accusing Sonia Gandhi (Accused No. 1) and Rahul Gandhi (Accused No. 2) of laundering money through the National Herald group of companies. In addition to the Gandhis, the chargesheet names:
Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda, long-time Congress associates
Young Indian and Dotex Merchandise Private Limited, corporate entities
Sunil Bhandari, director at Dotex Merchandise
All have been booked under various PMLA sections, with the probe agency seeking penalties under Section 4 of the Act, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment.
Allegations At A Glance
The ED’s complaint alleges that funds were siphoned from Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the publisher of the National Herald, into Young Indian—a company in which Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi hold controlling stakes. The enforcement agency contends that this diversion of AJL’s assets amounted to money laundering and that the Gandhis and others benefited from the transaction.
With notices served, the accused parties now have until the next date to file their responses. On May 8, the court will hear arguments on whether to formally take cognisance of the chargesheet, effectively converting the ED’s allegations into a trial. At that stage, the Gandhis and co-accused can challenge the sufficiency of the evidence and the legality of the charges.
Possible Penalties
If the court finds merit in the ED’s case, convictions under Section 4 of the PMLA could lead to up to seven years’ jail time for each accused, along with potential fines. Given the high-profile nature of the defendants, the outcome of this proceeding is likely to have significant political and legal ramifications.
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