On Monday (13 June 2022), Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Delhi in the National Herald case. On reaching the ED office at around 11.15 pm, Rahul Gandhi was questioned by the investigating officers for about three hours. During this, about 50 questions were asked to Rahul. In the National Herald case, the ED has summoned Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, but Sonia Gandhi is hospitalized due to being COVID positive, due to which the ED has extended the date of her interrogation till June 23.
The matter is related to the newspaper National Herald which was founded by Jawaharlal Nehru. Rahul Gandhi was the director and Sonia Gandhi was a significant shareholder in this company. Apart from Pandit Nehru, 5000 freedom fighters were its shareholders. This company used to publish two more dailies, Qaumi Awaaz in Urdu and Navjeevan in Hindi.
Banned by the British in 1942: During the freedom struggle, the National Herald became the main mouthpiece to raise the voice of the freedom fighters. In 1942, the British banned this newspaper. The newspaper was revived in 1945. After becoming the Prime Minister of the country in 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru resigned as the chairman of the newspaper’s board. But the newspaper continued to be published.
In 1938, the Congress Party formed Associate Journals Limited (AJL). Under this, the National Herald newspaper was brought out. At that time, AJL had a debt of more than 90 crores, to eliminate which a company named Young India Limited was formed. In which the share of Rahul and Sonia Gandhi was 38-38%. The remaining 24 per cent shares were held by Congress leader Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandez, journalist Suman Dubey, and Congress leader Sam Pitroda.
There is an allegation of misappropriation of 55 crores: 9 crore shares of AJL were given to Young India to pay the liabilities of AJL. But due to the high share of the share, Young India got the ownership rights. The loan of 90 crores given by Congress to meet the liabilities of AJL was also waived off later.
Rahul Gandhi became director: In the year 2008, the publication of the newspaper was once again closed due to financial losses. In 2011, the holdings of the loss-making company were transferred to Young India Limited (YIL). Young India Limited was started in the year 2010. Rahul Gandhi became the director of this company. This company was established with 5 lakh rupees.
Subramanian Swamy filed a petition: BJP leader Subramanian Swamy filed a petition in Delhi’s Patiala House Court in 2012 against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Congress leaders Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandez, Sam Pitroda and Suman Dubey at the loss-making National The Herald newspaper was accused of fraud and misappropriation of money. Subramanian Swamy had accused the Gandhi family of misappropriation of 55 crores.
According to the allegation, Congress leaders formed the YIL Organization to take over the properties of National Herald and through it illegally acquired AJL. Swamy had alleged that this was done to capture the Rs 2000 crore building of Herald House on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg in Delhi.
ED’s entry: Swamy had sought criminal prosecution against senior Congress leaders associated with the case including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi for buying a 2000 crore company for only Rs 50 lakh. In this case, in June 2014, the court issued summons against Sonia, Rahul and other accused. In August 2014, the ED took suo motu cognizance of the matter and filed a money laundering case. In December 2015, Delhi’s Patiala Court granted bail to all the accused including Sonia, Rahul.
In 2016 also the hearing in this case continued. The Supreme Court exempted all the leaders including Sonia-Rahul from personally appearing in the court in this matter. In October 2018, the Delhi High Court ordered the AJL to vacate the Herald House on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg.
In February 2019, the Gandhi family reached the Delhi High Court against this decision. On 5 April 2019, the Supreme Court stayed this order of the Delhi High Court. After which on June 1, 2022, the ED sent notices to Sonia and Rahul to appear in this case. At the same time, Congress says that this is an action motivated by political vendetta and they will not bow down.