ED Chargesheets Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi in National Herald Case

Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have been named in Prosecutor's chargesheet number one and number two in charge against Enforcement Directorate charges naming the former in National Herald money laundering case.

The charge sheet on April 9 was seen by Special Judge Vishal Gogne, who set the matter for consideration for cognizance for April 25, 2025.

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In addition, the name of Congress leader Sam Pitroda and Suman Dubey were also included as accused.

“The prosecution complaint will be reviewed for cognisance on April 25, 2025, during which the special counsel for the ED and the investigating officer will also present the case diaries for the court’s review,” the judge said.

The Enforcement Directorate announced on April 12 that it intended to attach movable properties worth ₹661 crore in connection with the National Herald money laundering case involving Congress-controlled Associated Journals Limited (AJL). Sonia and Rahul Gandhi control together more than 75 percent shares of AJL.

The ED said it had issued notices for eviction or change of tenancy in respect of the properties linked with the case. The notices were pasted on Herald House in Delhi's I.T.O. Area and on Bandra property in Mumbai and the AJL building at Bisheshwar Nath Road in Lucknow, on Friday.

The action stands taken under Sec. 8 and Rule 5(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which provides for the manner in which the Enforcement Directorate (ED) shall take possession of assets attached by it and affirmed by adjudicating authority under PMLA.

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What is National Herald money laundering case?

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched its probe into the National Herald matter shortly after Subramanian Swamy filed a complaint in the year 2014, accusing Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and other Congress stalwarts of having bought the properties of Associated Journals Limited (AJL) for ₹50 lakh against their actual worth of over ₹2,000 crores.

National Herald is published by AJL, which is owned by Young Indian Private Limited. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi together hold 38 percent of the shares in Young Indian, thus making them majority shareholders.

“Young Indian and AJL properties were used for generation of further proceeds of crime in the form of bogus donations to the tune of ₹18 crore, bogus advance rent to the tune of ₹38 crore, and bogus advertisements of ₹29 crore,” the ED alleged.

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