Guwahati: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday sealed the National Herald office, directing that the premises cannot be opened without prior permission from the investigation agency, days after raids and numerous rounds of interrogation.
The National Herald case, in which prominent Congress leaders are accused of breaking rules, is the subject of earlier ED searches at 12 locations in the nation’s capital and other locations.
“Roadblocks by Delhi Police leading to AICC Headquarters are become more common than unusual. It’s unclear why they merely acted in this manner,” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said.
The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case involving the National Herald was filed about nine months ago after a trial court took cognizance of an investigation by the Income Tax department conducted as a result of a private criminal complaint submitted by former BJP MP Subramanian Swamy in 2013.
In his suit, the petitioner claimed that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi each held 38% of Young Indian Pvt Limited (YIL), which had fraudulently purchased the assets of Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which produced the National Herald newspaper.
According to Swamy, the Gandhi’s misused money and defrauded YIL, which paid just Rs. 50 lakhs to secure the right to reclaim Rs. 90.25 crore that AJL owed Congress.
Sonia Gandhi, the interim president of the Congress, was questioned by the investigation agency on July 27. It was the third time the case’s senior leader had been questioned.
Following the summons, members of Congress and its leaders protested around the nation, claiming that the government had abused its investigative powers.
Rahul Gandhi was also questioned by the ED for five days in June.