Delhi High Court issues notice to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi in National Herald case

The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others in response to a criminal revision petition filed by the Enforcement Directorate challenging a trial court’s decision not to proceed with its money laundering complaint in the National Herald case. Justice Ravinder Dudeja, after hearing the ED, has asked for responses from the Gandhis and issued notices on the main plea and the stay application. The ED’s plea against the Rouse Avenue Court’s dismissal of its prosecution complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act has been scheduled for further hearing on March 12, 2026. Earlier, the trial court had refused to take cognisance of the ED’s complaint, stating it was not maintainable in law. The court granted relief to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, allowing the ED to continue its investigation. Besides the Gandhis, the ED has named others as proposed accused in the case. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued in court that upholding the trial court’s order would make the PMLA redundant, emphasizing that the ED should be able to act even when a court has taken cognisance of a private complaint. The case involves allegations that senior Congress leaders conspired to acquire assets of Associated Journals Ltd worth over Rs 2,000 crore through Young Indian, a company where Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are majority shareholders, by paying a nominal sum. The controversy arose in 2012 when Subramanian Swamy filed a complaint, accusing Congress leaders of cheating and breach of trust in the acquisition of AJL.