Court ruling sparks outrage: Delhi court denies ED's charges in National Herald case; Congress protests alleged misuse of investigative agencies

Ranchi: Congress workers staged a protest outside the state BJP headquarters in Harmu on Wednesday, alleging that the Centre is misusing the Enforcement Directorate (ED), a day after a Delhi court granted relief to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. The party also organised similar protests in other states, too.

State Congress chief Keshav Mahto Kamlesh said that truth had prevailed after a Delhi court refused to take cognisance of the probe agency’s money-laundering charge against the two leaders in the case. He said senior BJP leaders had been attacking Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over the National Herald case.


“This is possibly the only PMLA case in the country that was registered on a criminal complaint by an individual. Normally, PMLA cases are registered based on complaints made by constitutional agencies or police. Now the Narendra Modi govt at the Centre should tender a public apology to the nation for misusing its powers through the ED to defame the Gandhi family,” Kamlesh added.

In a significant relief to Sonia and Rahul, a Delhi court on Tuesday declined to take cognisance of Enforcement Directorate’s prosecution complaint — equivalent to a police chargesheet — in the National Herald money laundering case.

In a 117-page order, Special Judge Vishal Gogne held that the probe was “impermissible in law” as it was not based on an FIR, a prerequisite to register an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The court, however, allowed ED to carry out its investigation based on the FIR registered by the Delhi Police’s economic offences wing on Oct 3, which the agency brought to the judge’s notice.

Former party president Rajesh Thakur added that the central govt is continuously targeting Congress and opposition leaders by using ED and CBI to intimidate elected representatives of non-BJP ruled states.

State BJP president Babulal Marandi dubbed the demonstration as a fallout of the grand old party’s mental bankruptcy.

“The court verdict in the National Herald case is in no way a clean chit to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. This verdict has only stated that no FIR will be registered but it has also stated that the trial will continue. The case is purely one of fraud,” said Marandi.