New Delhi, May 21, 2025 — The Enforcement Directorate (ED) informed a Delhi court that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi benefitted from proceeds of crime amounting to ₹142 crore in connection with the National Herald money laundering case.
During a hearing before Special Judge Vishal Gogne, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, representing the ED, stated that the accused had been “enjoying the proceeds of crime” until properties linked to the National Herald were provisionally attached in November 2023.
“Proceeds of crime not only include those properties obtained from the scheduled offence, but also any other criminal activity relatable to the proceeds of crime,” ASG Raju told the court. He further argued that money laundering was not only committed at the point of acquisition, but continued while the accused held and benefited from the tainted assets.
The agency asserted that a prima facie case of money laundering has been established against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others named in the case. The submissions were made during the court’s deliberation on whether to take cognisance of the ED’s recently filed chargesheet.
The court also directed the ED to provide a copy of the chargesheet to BJP leader Dr. Subramanian Swamy, whose private complaint initially triggered the investigation.
Background of the National Herald Case
The ED’s case stems from a 2015 directive by a trial court that allowed the Income Tax Department to scrutinise the financial transactions related to the National Herald newspaper and examine the tax liabilities of the Gandhi family. This followed a complaint filed by Dr. Swamy in 2013, who alleged serious financial irregularities in the acquisition of the publication.
According to Swamy’s complaint, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi gained control of Associated Journals Limited (AJL)—the publisher of National Herald—through Young Indian Limited (YIL), a company in which they hold a combined 86% stake. The takeover was allegedly carried out for just ₹50 lakh, while AJL’s real estate assets were estimated to be worth over ₹2,000 crore.
Swamy further alleged that YIL was used to acquire the rights to recover ₹90.25 crore in loans previously advanced to AJL by the Congress party, at a fraction of the amount. The ED is now examining the roles of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi as majority shareholders in YIL and their effective control over AJL’s high-value assets.
Both leaders were granted bail by a trial court on December 19, 2015, and have since denied any wrongdoing, stating that the transactions in question were legitimate and politically motivated.
The court will now consider whether the chargesheet merits further proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
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