The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has submitted its first chargesheet in the high-profile National Herald money laundering case against senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Sam Pitroda, among others.
The chargesheet has been filed before the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi, which has fixed April 25 as the date for hearing the arguments.
Reacting to the events, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh blamed the government for using central agencies for political purposes. Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi called the whole National Herald case 'fabricated' and condemned the alleged political abuse of enforcement agencies.
Reacting to these comments, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi stated that Congress should be mindful that the case was initiated before the Narendra Modi government assumed power at the Centre.
Speaking to IANS about the ED's chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Trivedi emphasized, “The inclusion of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi’s names in the chargesheet today is purely a technical matter. It's necessary for Congress to realize that the case was initially brought in 2012, and a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) prompted the Delhi High Court to accept the issue in October 2013. It's quite evident that the case had been brought long before the Modi government had taken the reins of power. Thus, the Congress party has no basis to politicize the issue.
He further observed, "This is an unprecedented case where a company worth billions of assets was sold for a liability of ₹90 crore. Also, 76 percent of the company's shares belonged only to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.". I want to question Congress, which was formed by Pandit Nehru and where Associate Journals Ltd. (AJL) was established by freedom fighters, why the three papers established by Nehru turned out to be loss-making and finally had to be closed down. Did the Congress governments not lend a helping hand over the period of five or six decades?"
Trivedi added, “The Congress's claims of emotional attachment to AJL and its legacy appear increasingly hollow. This case exposes the reality behind these claims, showing how the moral and technical justifications are baseless and driven by political motives.” The BJP MP also took the opportunity to praise Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, highlighting the government’s focus on technological progress and national economic growth. “When PM Modi’s government was formed, its aim was to propel the country forward in technology and economic development, with initiatives like the promotion of solar energy, the establishment of the International Solar Alliance, and bolstering defense production.A solid foundation for India’s future has been laid under his leadership,” Trivedi concluded.
Read also| Watch| PM Modi: Ambedkar’s Ideals Will Empower Vision of Viksit Bharat
