Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.
Credit: Reuters File Photo
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday declined to issue notices for now to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over a money laundering case in connection with the acquisition of properties linked to the National Herald, in view of a lack of necessary documents furnished by the Enforcement Directorate.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne said that the court is not yet satisfied that a notice to the accused was necessary. He said that the court has to look for any deficiency in the agency's chargesheet.
“There are certain documents missing in the chargesheet. ED is directed to file those documents. After that, the court will decide the issue of notice,” the court said.
The ED's counsel submitted that the cognisance of the complaint cannot be taken without first hearing the accused, according to the provisions of the PMLA. Under the agency's chargesheet, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are charged as accused numbers one and two, respectively.
The agency's counsel has been very transparent and has not hidden anything from the court.
“We are not hiding anything. We are giving them the opportunity to present their side before cognisance is taken,” the agency submitted.
However, the court asked the agency to cure a few defects in the chargesheet and submit more relevant documents before it decides on issuing notices to the accused.
The ED had named Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, Sam Pitroda, head of the Congress party’s overseas wing, and Suman Dubey, a former journalist believed to be a close aide of the Gandhi family, as founding directors of Young Indian Private Limited.
Sonia and Rahul Gandhi together owned 76% of the company.
The ED has alleged that the Gandhis are the real beneficiaries of the company.
The company allegedly took over the assets of Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the parent company of the National Herald newspaper, for just Rs 50 lakh. According to the ED, these assets were worth Rs 2,000 crore at the time and are now valued at around Rs 5,000 crore.
The ED’s charge sheet claims that it has tracked down proceeds of crime totalling Rs 988 crore, including real estate and other assets valued at Rs 755 crore, shares worth Rs 90 crore, and rent of Rs 142 crore.