The BJP on Wednesday accused the Congress of spreading false propaganda over the trial court’s verdict in the National Herald case and said the court refused to take cognizance of the complaint but did not quash the case.
BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia claimed that the matter is still sub-judice in the Delhi High Court, and the trial court in its order on Tuesday said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) can continue its investigation.
“Yesterday (Tuesday) the court said that since it is a private complaint and no FIR has been registered, it will not take cognizance of it. It is a technical matter. The court also said that the ED can continue its investigation further. The court has not quashed it,” Bhatia told a press conference at the BJP headquarters here.
He said that its trial is still going on.
The BJP spokesperson alleged, “Sonia Gandhi is still accused number 1 and Rahul Gandhi is accused number 2.” He further said, “The Gandhi family thrives on deceit, fraud and propaganda.”
Earlier, Congress Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Wednesday termed the National Herald case as a false conspiracy hatched by the ruling party and called it a clear example of “misuse of central investigative agencies”.
Addressing the media, Singhvi said that the allegations were made on baseless grounds and pressure from political power influenced the recent decision in the case.
He asserted, “The National Herald case is proof of the misuse of central agencies. Allegations were made, but on baseless grounds and in this case, the pressure of power had the ultimate impact on yesterday’s decision. Allegations were floating in the air, but the law remained firmly on the ground.”
Singhvi highlighted that between 2021 and 2025, the Enforcement Directorate conducted interrogation sessions, including five hours of questioning of Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and three hours of Rahul Gandhi. He said that news of these inquiries were widely published on the front pages of newspapers across the country.
The Congress leader reiterated that such cases are a reminder of how central agencies can be misused to put pressure on political opponents.
A day earlier, he had termed the National Herald case as a “national harassment case” and refuted money laundering allegations against party leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and six others.
The National Herald case arose from a complaint filed by former MP Subramanian Swamy, in which he alleged misappropriation of funds by Congress leaders and companies linked to Associated Journals Limited (AJL).
After Delhi Police’s Economic Offenses Wing (EOW) on Sunday lodged a fresh FIR in the National Herald money laundering case, Singhvi accused the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of targeting opposition parties, calling it “apartheid”. He also accused the BJP of alleged “vendetta” against the Congress.
The incident comes after a Delhi court on Tuesday refused to take cognizance of the Enforcement Directorate’s prosecution complaint in the National Herald money laundering case. The court said that in the absence of an FIR for a scheduled (substantive) offence, proceedings cannot be initiated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Rouse Avenue Court Special Judge Vishal Gogne ruled in a detailed order that investigation and prosecution of the offense of money laundering under Sections 3 and 4 of the PMLA cannot be valid if the case is based only on a private complaint and summons order instead of a duly registered FIR.