Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are also accused in the National Herald case. (file photo)
Central investigating agency Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken major action in the National Herald case. ED has seized properties worth about Rs 751.9 crore of Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and Young India. It is alleged that this property worth crores was purchased with the income earned from crime. ED has taken this seizure action under PMSLA in Delhi, Mumbai and Lucknow.
According to ED sources, properties worth Rs 661.69 crore are related to AJL while properties worth about Rs 90.21 crore are related to Young India. Let us tell you that ED had started investigation against AJL and Young India in the year 2014 on the orders of Metropolitan Magistrate of Delhi.
What was found in ED investigation
The investigation by the Central Investigation Agency ED found that the accused related to this case had hatched a criminal conspiracy to acquire assets worth hundreds of crores of rupees of AJL through M/s Young India. It is alleged that M/s AJL was given land at concessional rates in various cities of India by the government to publish newspapers.
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AJL ceased its publishing operations in 2008 and began using the properties for commercial purposes. Investigation found that AJL had to repay a loan of Rs 90.21 crore to the All India Congress Committee (AICC). However, the Congress Party waived off this loan of Rs 90.21 crore and conspired to sell AJL to a new company M/s Young India for just Rs 50 lakh.
allegations against gandhi family
It is alleged that after this, the shares of Young India were given to the Gandhi family and their close associates, that is, AJL’s assets worth crores of rupees and through Young India were indirectly taken over by the Gandhi family. However, before this, AJL called an extraordinary general meeting and passed a resolution, after which the shareholding of more than 1000 shareholders came down to just 1 percent and AJL became a subsidiary of Young India.
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Young India also took over the properties of AJL. Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Oscar Fernandes, Moti Lal Vohra and Suman Dubey are accused in this case. ED has also interrogated Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in this matter.
Congress’s attack on BJP
On the ongoing news of Enforcement Directorate (ED) attaching AJL’s properties, senior Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that it shows their desperation to divert attention from the certain defeat in the ongoing assembly elections in the states.
Action under PMLA can be taken only when there are definite indications of a crime or after a major crime has been committed. But in this case there has been no transfer of any immovable property. There is no transaction of money. No income was generated from the alleged crime. There is not even any complainant who claims that he has been cheated.
BJP cheated: Singhvi
This is a ready-made structure full of deceit, lies and deception created by the BJP to divert attention and spread confusion during the elections. None of BJP’s alliance partners, CBI, ED or Income Tax Department, can save it from its certain defeat.
It is impossible to scare Congress.
The assignment of debt without transfer of any immovable property or movement of money is being designed to justify the seizure of assets of a company that has been running the National Herald, an iconic voice of the Indian independence movement. This is being done only because this company is linked to the Congress Party and its legacy. This poor strategy of retaliation will not scare the Congress in any way.
