Delhi Police files FIR against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi in National Herald case

Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and several others in connection with the National Herald case. The action follows a complaint by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as part of its ongoing money laundering probe. The FIR, registered on October 3, invokes sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property), 406 (criminal breach of trust), and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code. Entities named in the FIR include Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, Young Indian (YI), Dotex Merchandise Ltd, Dotex promoter Sunil Bhandari, Associated Journals Ltd. (AJL), and unknown others. Official sources said the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police filed a complaint against the Gandhis and seven others on October 3.
 

The investigation draws on allegations first raised in a private complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy in 2014, which led to a chargesheet by the ED earlier this year. The FIR aims to support the ED's case, with sources stating, "The FIR will work to strengthen the ED case and the chargesheet which stems from a court order -- Metropolitan Magistrate of Delhi -- that took cognisance of a private complaint by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on June 26, 2014 against alleged irregularities in the National Herald's affairs, the sources said." The FIR includes allegations detailed by the ED in a letter to the EOW on September 4 and mirrors points raised in the ED's chargesheet.
 

Congress leaders have criticised the investigation, describing it as "petty vendetta tactics" and referring to the ED as a "coalition partner" of the BJP. The next court hearing is scheduled for December 16, when the Delhi court is expected to take cognisance of the ED's chargesheet. All the accused named in the FIR, except for unknown others, are also included in the ED's chargesheet filed in April.
 

The ED, using powers under section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), asked the Delhi Police to register the FIR. This provision allows the federal agency to share findings and evidence with police to facilitate registration of a criminal predicate offence, which can subsequently underpin a money laundering case. According to sources, "The ED, as per the sources, used powers available to it under section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to get the police FIR registered."
 

Central to the allegations is the claim that a "criminal conspiracy" was orchestrated by several prominent Congress figures, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, to take over properties worth over Rs 2,000 crore belonging to AJL, publisher of the National Herald, for just Rs 50 lakh. The ED has asserted that Young Indian, "beneficially owned" by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, "acquired" AJL properties at a value far below market rates. In its chargesheet, the ED stated, "The ED had alleged in its chargesheet that a 'criminal conspiracy' was orchestrated by several prominent political figures, including the first family of the Congress party led by Sonia Gandhi, her MP son Rahul Gandhi apart from late Congress leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes and also Dubey, Pitroda and a private company Young Indian for alleged involvement in a money laundering scheme related to the fraudulent takeover of properties valued over Rs 2,000 crore belonging to the AJL."

The ED further claimed its investigation has "conclusively" found that Young Indian, a private company "beneficially owned" by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, "acquired" AJL properties worth Rs 2,000 crore for a mere Rs 50 lakh, significantly undervaluing its worth. The chargesheet also alleges that Sonia Gandhi "abused" her position as the former AICC president for personal gains to herself and Rahul Gandhi by converting public funds for private use through Young Indian.