Troubles have once again mounted for former Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, in the National Herald case. The Economic Offenses Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police has filed a new FIR against them. This FIR includes the names of not only Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, but also six other individuals and companies.
In which case was the FIR registered?
The FIR is based on allegations of fraudulent acquisition and criminal conspiracy of Associated Journals Limited (AJL). AJL was once a Congress-owned company and had assets worth approximately ₹2,000 crore. The alleged allegation is that the company was acquired from the Congress through a company called Young Indian. The Gandhi family reportedly holds a 76% stake in Young Indian.
Who else is named in the FIR?
Apart from Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, the following names are also mentioned in the FIR:
- Sam Pitroda, President of the Indian Overseas Congress
- Three companies:
- AJL (Associated Journals Limited)
- Young Indian
- Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd, which is claimed to be a Kolkata-based shell company
Dotex is accused of giving Rs 1 crore to Young Indian, which in turn asked Congress to pay Rs 50 lakh to buy AJL, which has assets worth Rs 2,000 crore.
What does Congress have to say?
When asked for a comment on the Delhi Police’s FIR, the Congress party stated that it had no information about the matter. The Congress party has alleged that the case is a political vendetta and that agencies like the ED and EOW are acting under pressure from the government. The Congress party has previously dismissed the allegations in the National Herald case as completely false and fabricated.