New Delhi, 20 April (H.S.):

The Delhi High Court has adjourned the hearing on the Enforcement Directorate’s petition challenging a trial court order that refused to take cognisance of the agency’s chargesheet in the National Herald money-laundering case. A bench led by Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma has fixed the next hearing for May 25.

The ED has challenged the trial court’s order dated December 16, 2025. During the hearing, the High Court had on December 22 issued notices to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and other accused persons in response to the agency’s petition. The Rouse Avenue Court on December 16, 2025 had declined to take cognisance of the ED’s chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, observing that cognisance could not be taken on the basis of a private complaint.

During proceedings before the trial court, the ED argued that those who donated to the Congress had been cheated, and that some of them were later given party tickets. Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju opposed the Gandhis’ argument that they had no control over Associated Journals Limited (AJL). He said AJL was originally the publisher of the National Herald.

Senior advocate R.S. Cheema, appearing for Rahul Gandhi, argued that the Congress had not tried to sell AJL but had sought to save the institution because it was part of the freedom movement.

Cheema asked why the ED was not producing AJL’s memorandum of association. AJL was founded in 1937 by Jawaharlal Nehru, J.B. Kripalani, Rafi Ahmad Kidwai and other Congress leaders. He said the memorandum of association stated that all its policies would be aligned with those of the Congress.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Sonia Gandhi, said the ED had built a “surprising and unexpected” case. He added that it was even more unusual than that, describing it as a money-laundering case in which no property had been mentioned. Singhvi said Young Indian had carried out the entire exercise to make Associated Journals Limited debt-free. He added that every company takes lawful steps to become debt-free and that the ED had done nothing for years before initiating action on the basis of a private complaint.

The ED filed its prosecution complaint in court on April 15, 2025. In the case, the agency named Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Sam Pitroda as accused. The complaint was filed under Sections 44 and 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar