Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in the National Herald- Associated Journals Limited case under section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). He entered the ED headquarters at around 11 am and was accompanied by a large convoy of party leaders. These leaders included General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Chief Ministers of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel, respectively.
Top developments so far
1. Gandhi is being questioned on his position in AJL, association with Young India Limited (YIL) and the reason behind holding shares in his name.
2. The central agency will also question the former Congress president on any meetings with previous shareholders, reasons behind reviving National Herald and details of assets owned by AJL and National Herald.
3. Gandhi will also be questioned on details of loans given out by the Congress to the AJL.
4. Rahul Gandhi’s questioning by the ED is set to last for 5-6 hours in the National Herald Case, as per an India Today report.
5. While Gandhi was supposed to appear before the ED on June 2, he sought some more time since he was out of country at the time.
6. Congress leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala, Rajni Patel, Akhilesh Prasad Singh, L Hanumanthaiah and Thirunavukkarasar were detained in Mandir Marg police station for protesting in support of Rahul Gandhi.
7. Congress leaders Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and KC Venugopal were detained by Delhi Police at the Tughlaq Road police station. Deepender Singh Hooda, Pawan Khera and Ashok Gehlot were also detained and taken to Fatehabada police station.
8. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met detained Congress workers at the Tughlaq Road police station.
9. Union Minister and BJP MP Smriti Irani took potshots at the Gandhi family and said, “Questions that [the] Congress workers should ask -- Rahul Gandhi’s relation with Dotex Merchandise Private Limited. Is it true that this company’s transactions red flagged by financial scrutiny agency. This drive was not to protect democracy; it is just to save Gandhis’ money.”
10. The Union Minister also told news agency ANI, “Congress leaders have taken to the streets to pressurise an investigating agency openly because their corruption has been exposed… It’s an attempt to protect the assets of the Gandhi family.”
(With inputs from Munish Pandey, agencies)