New Delhi, July 2 (H.S.): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) informed a Delhi court that Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi gained full ownership of Associated Journals Limited (AJL), publisher of the National Herald, for only ₹50 lakh, despite its real estate value exceeding ₹2,000 crores.
Additional Solicitor General SV Raju stated that AJL holds several valuable properties granted by the Central and State governments for publishing purposes since 1947. However, after acquiring AJL, the Gandhis' entity, Young Indian, announced its withdrawal from newspaper publishing, including the National Herald.Raju emphasized the disparity between the payment and the company’s worth.
The court hearing, presided over by Special Judge Vishal Gogne, focused on the ED's prosecution complaint related to money laundering in the National Herald case, which alleges misappropriation of assets worth over ₹2,000 crores in a transaction involving a ₹90-crore loan from the Congress party to AJL, transferred to Young Indian for merely ₹50 lakh.
Former Union Minister Subramanian Swamy has accused the Gandhis and associated individuals of fraud and conspiracy, leading to the ED's prosecution complaint filed on April 15 this year. The hearing is set to continue on Thursday.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
