National Herald case: ED conducts raids at Herald House, other multiple locations

Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting searches at multiple locations in Delhi and other places in connection with the National Herald case. Officials entered the premises of Herald House at around 10 am and are searching a total of 12 places, they said on Tuesday.

The raids are currently underway at the fourth floor of the Herald House in Delhi, publication office of the National Herald, as per reports.

Earlier, the probe agency had questioned Congress President Sonia Gandhi on July 27 for the third time in the money laundering case linked to the National Herald case. Last Wednesday, she was questioned on a set of nearly 30 questions regarding her involvement with the National Herald newspaper and Young Indian Private Limited.  

With this, the Congress president has been questioned for more than 11 hours over three days and has faced around 100 questions. These sessions took place with COVID-appropriate protocols in place and were recorded in audio-video mode.  

Besides Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Pawan Bansal and Mallikarjun Kharge have also been questioned in the case so far. Rahul Gandhi was questioned by the ED in June for 50 hours over five days.  

Sonia and Rahul are among the promoters and majority shareholders in Young Indian Private Limited as both of them have a 38 per cent stake each. Sonia Gandhi is understood to have kept the Congress president’s position as there were no personal assets made in the Associated Journals Limited (AJL)-Young Indian deal. Routine affairs, however, were handled by other office bearers including late Motilal Vohra.  

Gandhis have been questioned ever since the ED registered a fresh case against them under the criminal provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act late last year. This was after a trial court took cognisance of an income tax department probe against Young Indian based on a private criminal complaint by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy in 2013.  

(With inputs from agencies, Munish Pandey)