ED chargesheet naming Sonia, Rahul Gandhi sparks protests outside Congress HQ, several detained

New Delhi, Apr 16: Several Congress workers, including Delhi Congress chief Devinder Yadav, were detained by Delhi Police on Wednesday during a protest outside the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters on Akbar Road. The demonstration followed the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) filing of a chargesheet in the National Herald case, naming senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi among the accused.

The protest was part of the party’s nationwide campaign against what it alleges is a politically motivated use of central agencies to target opposition figures. The ED’s prosecution complaint was filed in the Rouse Avenue Court under various provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The protest drew participation from senior Congress figures, who criticised the timing of the chargesheet and questioned its legal basis. According to the congress party, the case is an attempt to discredit its leadership at a politically sensitive time. The Congress has announced a series of demonstrations across the country, particularly in front of ED offices, in response to the development.

The ED has named Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and other leaders such as the late Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes in the chargesheet. The case centres around the alleged misappropriation of funds and property linked to Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), the publisher of the now-defunct National Herald newspaper, originally founded by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1938.

In its complaint, the ED has alleged that Young Indian Pvt. Ltd., a company controlled by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, acquired AJL and its assets through a financial transaction that involved Congress party funds. The agency claims that property assets worth over Rs 2,000 crore were effectively transferred to Young Indian through this arrangement. The chargesheet has been filed under Sections 44 and 45 of the PMLA, with specific offences cited under Section 3 (money laundering), Section 70 (offences by companies), and Section 4 (punishment for money laundering).

The Delhi court is expected to take up the complaint in the coming days, and summons to the accused may follow.

Meanwhile, the BJP defended the ED’s actions, stating that the case involves serious allegations of financial misconduct and the misuse of political party funds. The ruling party has accused the Congress of attempting to mislead the public through protests instead of addressing the allegations in court. The Congress maintains that it will contest the case legally and politically, vowing to continue its protests and stand by its leadership.