Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Friday issued a notice to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in relation to a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate in the National Herald money laundering case.
While setting the next hearing date for May 8, 2025, Special Judge Vishal Gogne emphasised that Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and the other proposed accused have the "right to be heard" during the cognisance of the chargesheet.
The court further highlighted that the right to be heard at any stage of the proceedings is crucial to ensuring a fair trial, thus underscoring the importance of issuing the notice.
This development comes a week after the same court refused to issue any notice to the Gandhis in matters pertaining to the case.
Special Judge Gogne had heard a plea from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which argued that under the new legal provisions, a court cannot take cognisance of its complaint (equivalent to a chargesheet) without first hearing the accused.
“We don’t want this order to be prolonged. Let notice be issued,” the ED urged the court.
However, the judge had maintained that the court must first be convinced before issuing any such notice. “Before the court passes any order, it has to examine if there is any deficiency,” he observed.
The court noted that certain documents were missing from the chargesheet, as pointed out by the Ahlmad (court record keeper). “ED is directed to file those documents. After that, the court will decide the issue of notice,” the judge said.
The agency insisted it was acting transparently.
“We’re not hiding anything. We are giving them a chance to appear and present their side before cognisance is taken,” the ED submitted.
ED, which recently filed its chargesheet in the National Herald case, began its investigation in 2021 following a magistrate court’s cognisance of a private complaint lodged by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on June 26, 2014.
According to the agency, the complaint alleged a “criminal conspiracy” involving key Congress figures—including Sonia Gandhi, her son and MP Rahul Gandhi, and the late party leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes—along with Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and a private company called Young Indian.
The ED has accused them of laundering money in connection with the alleged fraudulent acquisition of assets worth over ₹2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL).
Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are majority stakeholders in Young Indian, each holding a 38% share. Both leaders were earlier summoned and questioned by the ED for several hours as part of the ongoing investigation.
(With inputs from PTI)
While setting the next hearing date for May 8, 2025, Special Judge Vishal Gogne emphasised that Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and the other proposed accused have the "right to be heard" during the cognisance of the chargesheet.
The court further highlighted that the right to be heard at any stage of the proceedings is crucial to ensuring a fair trial, thus underscoring the importance of issuing the notice.
This development comes a week after the same court refused to issue any notice to the Gandhis in matters pertaining to the case.
Special Judge Gogne had heard a plea from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which argued that under the new legal provisions, a court cannot take cognisance of its complaint (equivalent to a chargesheet) without first hearing the accused.
“We don’t want this order to be prolonged. Let notice be issued,” the ED urged the court.
However, the judge had maintained that the court must first be convinced before issuing any such notice. “Before the court passes any order, it has to examine if there is any deficiency,” he observed.
The court noted that certain documents were missing from the chargesheet, as pointed out by the Ahlmad (court record keeper). “ED is directed to file those documents. After that, the court will decide the issue of notice,” the judge said.
The agency insisted it was acting transparently.
“We’re not hiding anything. We are giving them a chance to appear and present their side before cognisance is taken,” the ED submitted.
ED, which recently filed its chargesheet in the National Herald case, began its investigation in 2021 following a magistrate court’s cognisance of a private complaint lodged by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on June 26, 2014.
According to the agency, the complaint alleged a “criminal conspiracy” involving key Congress figures—including Sonia Gandhi, her son and MP Rahul Gandhi, and the late party leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes—along with Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and a private company called Young Indian.
The ED has accused them of laundering money in connection with the alleged fraudulent acquisition of assets worth over ₹2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL).
Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are majority stakeholders in Young Indian, each holding a 38% share. Both leaders were earlier summoned and questioned by the ED for several hours as part of the ongoing investigation.
(With inputs from PTI)
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