The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday indicated that the Indian National Congress may be named as an accused in the ongoing money laundering investigation linked to the defunct National Herald newspaper, should sufficient evidence emerge to support such an action.
The assertion was made by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) V. Raju, representing the ED, during daily proceedings before a special court in Delhi. "I have not made the AICC [All India Congress Committee] an accused yet, but that does not deprive me of the right to do so in the future. If we uncover adequate evidence, we can bring them into the case as well," ASG Raju stated.
The ED alleges that senior Congress leaders, including Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi—Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha—were central to a criminal conspiracy to misappropriate assets valued at approximately ₹2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the original publisher of the National Herald newspaper founded by India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
According to the agency, AJL received advertising revenue under the direction of top Congress leadership, which the ED claims forms part of the "proceeds of crime" generated through fraudulent transactions.
In an earlier hearing on May 21, the ED submitted that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had allegedly benefited from proceeds of crime amounting to ₹142 crore. A prosecution complaint (equivalent to a charge sheet) has been filed by the agency, naming the Gandhis and other senior Congress figures, including Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, and additional individuals.
The ED has estimated the total value of the alleged proceeds of crime at ₹988 crore. The agency contends that Congress leaders orchestrated a scheme to transfer assets belonging to AJL—a public trust entity—into personal or party-controlled hands, thereby violating provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The case remains under active trial, with daily hearings underway as the special court examines the voluminous documentary evidence and testimonies submitted by the central investigating agency. The matter is expected to be closely watched, given its political sensitivity and potential legal implications for India’s principal opposition party.
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