FIR Filed Against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in National Herald Case

New Delhi: With the Delhi police filing an FIR against Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, the party on Sunday alleged that the "Modi-Shah duo" is continuing with its mischievous politics of harassment, intimidation and vendetta against the Opposition's top leadership. The BJP dismissed the Congress's allegation of "vendetta politics" as "baseless".

Condemning the action, the Congress said the National Herald matter is a "completely bogus case" and justice will ultimately triumph. In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh charged, "The Modi-Shah duo is continuing with its mischievous politics of harassment, intimidation and vendetta against the top leadership of the INC. Those who threaten are themselves insecure and afraid."

According to official sources and documents, the economic offences wing (EOW) of the Delhi police filed a complaint against the Gandhis and seven others on October 3 on a complaint by the Enforcement Directorate as part of the agency's money laundering probe into the high-profile case that alleges that the first family of the Congress "abused" their position for personal gains.

The police has pressed charges under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property), 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC in the FIR that names the Gandhis, Congress leaders Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda, entities like the Young Indian (YI) and Dotex Merchandise Ltd, Dotex promoter Sunil Bhandari, Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) and unknown others.

These entities are also named as an accused (except unknown others) in the ED chargesheet filed before a Delhi court in April. The court is yet to take its cognisance with the next date of hearing scheduled for December 16.

These entities are also named as accused (except unknown others) in the ED chargesheet filed before a Delhi court in April. The court is yet to take cognisance. The next date of hearing is scheduled for December 16.

The BJP, on its part, dismissed the Congress' allegation that the government is pursuing a vendetta against Mrs Gandhi and Mr Gandhi. The saffron party asked the Congress leaders to give an account of the “loot” they allegedly committed instead of giving speeches.

Terming the Congress' allegations "baseless", senior BJP leader and former Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not at the helm at the Centre when a private complaint was filed in the matter against the Congress leaders. "The matter dates back to 2008," he told reporters here.

The BJP leader said that the crime branch of the Delhi police filed an FIR against Mrs Gandhi and Mr Gandhi after the Enforcement Directorate requested it book them based on its findings in the investigation into the case under due provisions of law.

"Just by giving `50 lakhs, the entire shareholding of the Associated Journals, publisher of the National Herald, was transferred to a new company, Young Indian, and a majority 76 per cent of the shares went to Mrs Gandhi and Mr Gandhi," he said, citing the allegations against the Gandhis.

Along with this, the BJP leader said, they also allegedly became the owner of the National Herald's property in various states, including Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow, worth crores of rupees. Mr Prasad said, "This is a clear case of loot… You will commit loot and become owner of the company and become owner of its property worth crores of rupees by fraudulent means and then you will allege that you are being implicated."

“The Congress is levelling false and baseless allegations. We vehemently condemn it and request them to give an account of the loot they commit instead of giving speeches… Let the law take its course,” Mr Prasad said.