News Analysis India

Tag: ED

  • BJP offered Rs 20 crore each to four MLAs to switch sides: AAP

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claimed on Wednesday that the BJP has approached four of its legislators in Delhi, asking them to switch sides and join the saffron party or else, face “false cases, the CBI and the ED”.

    Addressing a press conference here, AAP’s national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said the MLAs Ajay Dutt, Sanjeev Jha, Somnath Bharati and Kuldeep Kumar have been approached by leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with whom they have “friendly relations”.

    Taking to Twitter, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said it is “a very serious matter” and a meeting of the party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) has been convened at his residence at 4 pm to “take stock of the situation and chalk out further strategy”.

    “They (the four AAP legislators) have been offered Rs 20 crore each if they join the BJP and Rs 25 crore if they bring other MLAs along with them,” Singh said.

    “They (BJP leaders) told our MLAs that if they do not accept the offer and join the BJP, they will also have to face false cases, the CBI and the ED like (Delhi Deputy Chief Minister) Manish Sisodia is facing,” he added.

    ALSO READ | Delhi Excise Policy row: AAP says BJP threatened, offered bribes to its MLAs

    Singh accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making efforts to bring AAP legislators into the BJP-fold “by hook or crook” and topple the Kejriwal government.

    “Modiji is trying to make AAP MLAs break away from the party and topple the Delhi government by misusing probe agencies, sending his people to offer money to them and threaten them of consequences if they do not switch sides,” he said.

    Singh claimed that the BJP leaders with whom Dutt, Jha, Bharati and Kumar have “friendly relations” came to meet them with the saffron party’s “offer”.

    “The experiment that was successful in (the case of Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde in Maharashtra) and failed in the case of Manish Sisodia is now being tried on our MLAs,” he said.

    “Shame on you Modiji,” Singh said and asked the prime minister to “stop” making such efforts and focus on addressing issues like price rise and unemployment that the country is facing.

    AAP MLAs can neither be intimated nor lured by money for switching sides as they have come out of a “movement”, the Rajya Sabha member asserted while referring to the Anna Hazare-led India Against Corruption movement of 2011 during the days of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre.

    The four AAP MLAs who have allegedly been approached by the BJP were also present at the press conference.

    Taking to Twitter, Sisodia warned the BJP-led Centre against making efforts to “poach” AAP MLAs by misusing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and offering money, and said they will “give up” their lives but will not betray their party as they are the “soldiers” of Kejriwal and followers of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.

    “After they failed to break me, they have started conspiring to make other AAP MLAs break away (from the party) by offering Rs 20 crore to each of them, threatening them of raids,” the deputy chief minister said in a tweet in Hindi.

    “They (AAP MLAs) are the soldiers of Arvind Kejriwal and followers of Bhagat Singh,” he said, adding, “They will sacrifice their lives but will not betray (the party). Your ED-CBI is of no use in front of them.” 

    Kejriwal tweeted: “This is a very serious matter. To take stock of the situation and to chalk out further strategy, a meeting of our party’s Political Affairs Committee has been called at my residence today at 4 pm.”

    NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claimed on Wednesday that the BJP has approached four of its legislators in Delhi, asking them to switch sides and join the saffron party or else, face “false cases, the CBI and the ED”.

    Addressing a press conference here, AAP’s national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said the MLAs Ajay Dutt, Sanjeev Jha, Somnath Bharati and Kuldeep Kumar have been approached by leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with whom they have “friendly relations”.

    Taking to Twitter, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said it is “a very serious matter” and a meeting of the party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) has been convened at his residence at 4 pm to “take stock of the situation and chalk out further strategy”.

    “They (the four AAP legislators) have been offered Rs 20 crore each if they join the BJP and Rs 25 crore if they bring other MLAs along with them,” Singh said.

    “They (BJP leaders) told our MLAs that if they do not accept the offer and join the BJP, they will also have to face false cases, the CBI and the ED like (Delhi Deputy Chief Minister) Manish Sisodia is facing,” he added.

    ALSO READ | Delhi Excise Policy row: AAP says BJP threatened, offered bribes to its MLAs

    Singh accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making efforts to bring AAP legislators into the BJP-fold “by hook or crook” and topple the Kejriwal government.

    “Modiji is trying to make AAP MLAs break away from the party and topple the Delhi government by misusing probe agencies, sending his people to offer money to them and threaten them of consequences if they do not switch sides,” he said.

    Singh claimed that the BJP leaders with whom Dutt, Jha, Bharati and Kumar have “friendly relations” came to meet them with the saffron party’s “offer”.

    “The experiment that was successful in (the case of Shiv Sena MLA Eknath Shinde in Maharashtra) and failed in the case of Manish Sisodia is now being tried on our MLAs,” he said.

    “Shame on you Modiji,” Singh said and asked the prime minister to “stop” making such efforts and focus on addressing issues like price rise and unemployment that the country is facing.

    AAP MLAs can neither be intimated nor lured by money for switching sides as they have come out of a “movement”, the Rajya Sabha member asserted while referring to the Anna Hazare-led India Against Corruption movement of 2011 during the days of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre.

    The four AAP MLAs who have allegedly been approached by the BJP were also present at the press conference.

    Taking to Twitter, Sisodia warned the BJP-led Centre against making efforts to “poach” AAP MLAs by misusing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and offering money, and said they will “give up” their lives but will not betray their party as they are the “soldiers” of Kejriwal and followers of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.

    “After they failed to break me, they have started conspiring to make other AAP MLAs break away (from the party) by offering Rs 20 crore to each of them, threatening them of raids,” the deputy chief minister said in a tweet in Hindi.

    “They (AAP MLAs) are the soldiers of Arvind Kejriwal and followers of Bhagat Singh,” he said, adding, “They will sacrifice their lives but will not betray (the party). Your ED-CBI is of no use in front of them.” 

    Kejriwal tweeted: “This is a very serious matter. To take stock of the situation and to chalk out further strategy, a meeting of our party’s Political Affairs Committee has been called at my residence today at 4 pm.”

  • Sisodia ready to go behind bars but won’t bow down: AAP after ED registers money laundering case

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: After the Enforcement Directorate registered a money laundering case over the Delhi excise policy, the AAP on Tuesday said it had to happen as Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia rejected the BJP’s offer to join it to free himself from charges in the matter.

    Sisodia is ready to go behind bars but he would not “bow down” before the BJP, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) added.

    Official sources said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a money laundering case to probe alleged irregularities in the excise policy allegedly involving Sisodia and others.

    The federal agency has filed the case under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after taking cognisance of a CBI FIR that has named Sisodia and 14 others.

    Reacting to the news about the registration of the case by the ED, AAP national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said in a tweet in Hindi, “This had to happen. They (from BJP) had threatened Manish ji that if he does not join the BJP, the ED case will also be registered and he will be sent to jail,” 

    “Manish ji is ready to go to jail but not ready to bow down,” he added.

    The CBI had conducted raids in the case last week and had covered the Delhi residence of Sisodia and several other locations across seven states and Union Territories.

    Sisodia holds multiple portfolios in the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government including that of excise and education.

    The ED will probe if alleged irregularities were done in the formulation and execution of the Delhi excise policy brought out in November last year.

    Sisodia on Monday claimed that he was “offered the CM’s post” by the BJP and closure of all cases if he quit AAP and joined the saffron party.

    The BJP hit back, accusing him of trying to deflect attention from the corruption charges.

    NEW DELHI: After the Enforcement Directorate registered a money laundering case over the Delhi excise policy, the AAP on Tuesday said it had to happen as Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia rejected the BJP’s offer to join it to free himself from charges in the matter.

    Sisodia is ready to go behind bars but he would not “bow down” before the BJP, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) added.

    Official sources said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a money laundering case to probe alleged irregularities in the excise policy allegedly involving Sisodia and others.

    The federal agency has filed the case under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after taking cognisance of a CBI FIR that has named Sisodia and 14 others.

    Reacting to the news about the registration of the case by the ED, AAP national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said in a tweet in Hindi, “This had to happen. They (from BJP) had threatened Manish ji that if he does not join the BJP, the ED case will also be registered and he will be sent to jail,” 

    “Manish ji is ready to go to jail but not ready to bow down,” he added.

    The CBI had conducted raids in the case last week and had covered the Delhi residence of Sisodia and several other locations across seven states and Union Territories.

    Sisodia holds multiple portfolios in the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government including that of excise and education.

    The ED will probe if alleged irregularities were done in the formulation and execution of the Delhi excise policy brought out in November last year.

    Sisodia on Monday claimed that he was “offered the CM’s post” by the BJP and closure of all cases if he quit AAP and joined the saffron party.

    The BJP hit back, accusing him of trying to deflect attention from the corruption charges.

  • ‘Fall of BJP in Bihar will make ED, CBI also visit there, leading to reduce pressure on Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh’: Bhupesh Baghel

    Express News Service

    RANCHI: Taking a jibe at BJP Government’s fall in Bihar, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that it will ultimately reduce pressure on Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh as ED and CBI will now also start visiting there. 

    Addressing a gathering of tribals from across the Country during the concluding ceremony of Jharkhand Janjatiya Mahotsav in Ranchi on Wednesday, Baghel said that BJP was trying to put a bouncer in Jharkhand, but Hemant Soren Government played hook shot leading to fall of their government in Bihar.

    Jharkhand had organized Jharkhand Janjatiya Mahotsav to mark International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, popularly known as World Tribal Day, for the first time on August 9-10, participated by the artists from tribal-dominated states, including the north-eastern states of India. Baghel was also invited there as chief guest for the closing ceremony.

    “I heard a few days back that some political crisis is being created here in Jharkhand. In terms of cricket, BJP was trying to put bouncer to topple the Hemant Soren Government, but they played a hook shot which led to the fall of their government in Bihar,” said Baghel. Now ED and CBI will also start visiting Bihar quite frequently, which will ultimately decrease the pressure on Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, he added.

    Referring to the green cover in the tribal-dominated states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, Baghel informed that they are not only fulfilling the oxygen requirement of the Country but also providing power requirements through large deposits of natural resources like coal and other minerals.

    Baghel further added that tribal-dominated states do not only provide oxygen but also provides power to the entire Country, further saying that the Central Government is trying to snatch the rights of tribal-dominated states.

    “We never disrupted its supply even in adverse situations but when it comes to our rights, whether the Central Government is able to help us,” questioned Chhattisgarh CM. He also warned the BJP not to judge tribal states like Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh as weak states.

    “I just want to say that the tribal culture is one of the oldest cultures in this world, and it is our duty to conserve this primitive culture, which is capably being done by Jharkhand Government,” said Baghel. He also thanked Soren for celebrating World Tribal Day for two days and declaring a holiday on this day as done by him in Chhattisgarh.

    Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on the other hand said that everywhere there are discussions about protecting the forests, hills and rivers, but there is no discussion about protecting the tribal community.

    “Therefore, August 9 is like a resolution day for us so that the tribal community could raise their voice to make them reach to the people sitting on the top of the hierarchy,” said Soren. The tribal community has to fight many more battles for their rights, he added.

    RANCHI: Taking a jibe at BJP Government’s fall in Bihar, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that it will ultimately reduce pressure on Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh as ED and CBI will now also start visiting there. 

    Addressing a gathering of tribals from across the Country during the concluding ceremony of Jharkhand Janjatiya Mahotsav in Ranchi on Wednesday, Baghel said that BJP was trying to put a bouncer in Jharkhand, but Hemant Soren Government played hook shot leading to fall of their government in Bihar.

    Jharkhand had organized Jharkhand Janjatiya Mahotsav to mark International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, popularly known as World Tribal Day, for the first time on August 9-10, participated by the artists from tribal-dominated states, including the north-eastern states of India. Baghel was also invited there as chief guest for the closing ceremony.

    “I heard a few days back that some political crisis is being created here in Jharkhand. In terms of cricket, BJP was trying to put bouncer to topple the Hemant Soren Government, but they played a hook shot which led to the fall of their government in Bihar,” said Baghel. Now ED and CBI will also start visiting Bihar quite frequently, which will ultimately decrease the pressure on Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, he added.

    Referring to the green cover in the tribal-dominated states like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, Baghel informed that they are not only fulfilling the oxygen requirement of the Country but also providing power requirements through large deposits of natural resources like coal and other minerals.

    Baghel further added that tribal-dominated states do not only provide oxygen but also provides power to the entire Country, further saying that the Central Government is trying to snatch the rights of tribal-dominated states.

    “We never disrupted its supply even in adverse situations but when it comes to our rights, whether the Central Government is able to help us,” questioned Chhattisgarh CM. He also warned the BJP not to judge tribal states like Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh as weak states.

    “I just want to say that the tribal culture is one of the oldest cultures in this world, and it is our duty to conserve this primitive culture, which is capably being done by Jharkhand Government,” said Baghel. 
    He also thanked Soren for celebrating World Tribal Day for two days and declaring a holiday on this day as done by him in Chhattisgarh.

    Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on the other hand said that everywhere there are discussions about protecting the forests, hills and rivers, but there is no discussion about protecting the tribal community.

    “Therefore, August 9 is like a resolution day for us so that the tribal community could raise their voice to make them reach to the people sitting on the top of the hierarchy,” said Soren. The tribal community has to fight many more battles for their rights, he added.

  • ‘Congress under siege’: Party leaders rush to AICC HQ amid heavy police presence

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate(ED) on Wednesday temporarily sealed the office of Young Indian (YI) company housed in the premises of Congress-owned newspaper National Herald here as part of an ongoing money laundering investigation, official sources said.

    Shortly after the ED action, the road to AICC headquarters was blocked by the Delhi police with the Congress saying policemen were deployed there and also around the residences of party chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi nearby as if they were “terrorists”, and claimed the party was “under siege” by the Modi government.

    But the police said barricades were erected and its personnel deputed to avoid any untoward situation. The barricades were later removed.

    Addressing a hurriedly convened press conference at the party office, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Ajay Maken and Abhishek Singhvi said the Congress party will not be intimidated by this kind of “cheap and petty politics” and will continue to raise people’s issues.

    The seal in the office of YI was put in order to “preserve the evidence” which could not be collected as authorised representatives of the company were not present during the raids that were launched on Tuesday, official sources said.

    ALSO READ | Money laundering probe: ED seals Young Indian Ltd. office in National Herald premises in Delhi

    The rest of the National Herald office on the top floor of the four-storey ‘Herald House’ building and other offices are open for use, the sources added.

    The passport office is also housed in the ‘Herald House’ located at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg.

    A notice affixed under the signature of the ED investigating officer outside the YI office space said it cannot be opened “without prior permission” from the agency.

    Officials said the ED team had emailed the summons to the principal officer/in-charge of YI, who happens to be senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, seeking their attendance to open the cabins for it to carry out raids but they have not received any response, so far.

    The ED on Tuesday raided a dozen locations, including the National Herald newspaper and web portal office in Herald House as part of its money laundering probe in the National Herald-AJL-Young Indian deal.

    The agency sleuths left the premises in the wee hours of Wednesday after they collected some documents, digital data and questioned some staffers.

    Kharge, the leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, had visited the ‘Herald House’ building on Tuesday evening along with party colleague Pawan Bansal but he left and the search could not be conducted, officials said.

    ALSO READ | ED raids National Herald office, other locations in Delhi days after Sonia Gandhi’s questioning

    As and when the authorised person (for YI) presents themselves for concluding the search, the seal will be removed, they added.

    In his tweet, Ramesh shared a video showing heavy police presence outside the AICC headquarters at Akbar road and the road sealed for traffic, alleging it was “vendetta politics”.

    “Delhi Police blocking the road to AICC Headquarters has become a norm rather than an exception! Why have they just done so is mysterious,” Ramesh tweeted.

    “The Congress is under siege. Delhi police has surrounded our HQs, and homes of INC President and ex-President. This is the worst form of vendetta politics. We will not submit! We will not be silenced! We will continue to raise our voice against injustices and failures of Modi Sarkar!,” he said in another tweet.

    A senior Delhi police officer said it had received inputs from its special branch that some protesters might gather at the AICC Office. “So, as a preventive measure, we have put barricades and deputed our personnel to avoid any untoward situation,” he added.

    In a tweet in Hindi, the Congress said, “The voice of truth will not be afraid of police guards. Gandhi’s followers will fight and win from this darkness. Sealing the office of the National Herald, bringing the Congress headquarters under police guards show both the “fear and frustration of the dictator”, the party said, adding questions of inflation and unemployment will still be asked.

    Congress leaders alleged the sole objective of this “siege mentality” of the “fearful” Modi regime is humiliation, insult and intimidation at one level and diversion, digression and sensationalism at another level.

    “Today you have created a siege mentality, a climate of fear. The entire country watches as investigative agencies are deployed mindlessly against the leadership of India’s oldest political party.

    “You are treating this institution, this party, these leaders as terrorists. Is it not the worst form of petty politics and on the contrary you blame us,” Singhvi said, alleging that platoons of cops have been deployed all around the Congress offices and residences of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.

    He said what is being witnessed is an “an open ended investigation” on events that took place over 10 years ago.

    “What we are seeing today is a siege mentality in the heart of the national capital,” he said, adding the world is watching this unfortunate situation in India, which is a proud democracy of the world.

    “The only sole object of this exercise is humiliation, insult and intimidation at one level and diversion, digression and sensationalism at another level. They do not want the issues of price rise, unemployment and GST to be raised in the media,” Singhvi said, adding that fear is not there in the dictionary of the Congress and its leadership.

    Congress MPs also walked out from the Rajya Sabha towards the end of the day’s proceedings after the Chair did not permit Kharge to raise the issue of alleged barricading of residences of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi by the police.

    While Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Anurag Thakur was replying to a debate on the National Anti-Doping Bill, 2022, Kharge stood up to say that the residences of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi have been surrounded by Delhi Police.

    However, Deputy Chairman Harivansh did not allow him to raise the issue. To this, Kharge said: “If I do not speak in the House, where else I will speak?”.

    NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate(ED) on Wednesday temporarily sealed the office of Young Indian (YI) company housed in the premises of Congress-owned newspaper National Herald here as part of an ongoing money laundering investigation, official sources said.

    Shortly after the ED action, the road to AICC headquarters was blocked by the Delhi police with the Congress saying policemen were deployed there and also around the residences of party chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi nearby as if they were “terrorists”, and claimed the party was “under siege” by the Modi government.

    But the police said barricades were erected and its personnel deputed to avoid any untoward situation. The barricades were later removed.

    Addressing a hurriedly convened press conference at the party office, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Ajay Maken and Abhishek Singhvi said the Congress party will not be intimidated by this kind of “cheap and petty politics” and will continue to raise people’s issues.

    The seal in the office of YI was put in order to “preserve the evidence” which could not be collected as authorised representatives of the company were not present during the raids that were launched on Tuesday, official sources said.

    ALSO READ | Money laundering probe: ED seals Young Indian Ltd. office in National Herald premises in Delhi

    The rest of the National Herald office on the top floor of the four-storey ‘Herald House’ building and other offices are open for use, the sources added.

    The passport office is also housed in the ‘Herald House’ located at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg.

    A notice affixed under the signature of the ED investigating officer outside the YI office space said it cannot be opened “without prior permission” from the agency.

    Officials said the ED team had emailed the summons to the principal officer/in-charge of YI, who happens to be senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, seeking their attendance to open the cabins for it to carry out raids but they have not received any response, so far.

    The ED on Tuesday raided a dozen locations, including the National Herald newspaper and web portal office in Herald House as part of its money laundering probe in the National Herald-AJL-Young Indian deal.

    The agency sleuths left the premises in the wee hours of Wednesday after they collected some documents, digital data and questioned some staffers.

    Kharge, the leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, had visited the ‘Herald House’ building on Tuesday evening along with party colleague Pawan Bansal but he left and the search could not be conducted, officials said.

    ALSO READ | ED raids National Herald office, other locations in Delhi days after Sonia Gandhi’s questioning

    As and when the authorised person (for YI) presents themselves for concluding the search, the seal will be removed, they added.

    In his tweet, Ramesh shared a video showing heavy police presence outside the AICC headquarters at Akbar road and the road sealed for traffic, alleging it was “vendetta politics”.

    “Delhi Police blocking the road to AICC Headquarters has become a norm rather than an exception! Why have they just done so is mysterious,” Ramesh tweeted.

    “The Congress is under siege. Delhi police has surrounded our HQs, and homes of INC President and ex-President. This is the worst form of vendetta politics. We will not submit! We will not be silenced! We will continue to raise our voice against injustices and failures of Modi Sarkar!,” he said in another tweet.

    A senior Delhi police officer said it had received inputs from its special branch that some protesters might gather at the AICC Office. “So, as a preventive measure, we have put barricades and deputed our personnel to avoid any untoward situation,” he added.

    In a tweet in Hindi, the Congress said, “The voice of truth will not be afraid of police guards. Gandhi’s followers will fight and win from this darkness. Sealing the office of the National Herald, bringing the Congress headquarters under police guards show both the “fear and frustration of the dictator”, the party said, adding questions of inflation and unemployment will still be asked.

    Congress leaders alleged the sole objective of this “siege mentality” of the “fearful” Modi regime is humiliation, insult and intimidation at one level and diversion, digression and sensationalism at another level.

    “Today you have created a siege mentality, a climate of fear. The entire country watches as investigative agencies are deployed mindlessly against the leadership of India’s oldest political party.

    “You are treating this institution, this party, these leaders as terrorists. Is it not the worst form of petty politics and on the contrary you blame us,” Singhvi said, alleging that platoons of cops have been deployed all around the Congress offices and residences of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.

    He said what is being witnessed is an “an open ended investigation” on events that took place over 10 years ago.

    “What we are seeing today is a siege mentality in the heart of the national capital,” he said, adding the world is watching this unfortunate situation in India, which is a proud democracy of the world.

    “The only sole object of this exercise is humiliation, insult and intimidation at one level and diversion, digression and sensationalism at another level. They do not want the issues of price rise, unemployment and GST to be raised in the media,” Singhvi said, adding that fear is not there in the dictionary of the Congress and its leadership.

    Congress MPs also walked out from the Rajya Sabha towards the end of the day’s proceedings after the Chair did not permit Kharge to raise the issue of alleged barricading of residences of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi by the police.

    While Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Anurag Thakur was replying to a debate on the National Anti-Doping Bill, 2022, Kharge stood up to say that the residences of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi have been surrounded by Delhi Police.

    However, Deputy Chairman Harivansh did not allow him to raise the issue. To this, Kharge said: “If I do not speak in the House, where else I will speak?”.

  • SSC scam: Money was kept without my knowledge, says Arpita as ED raids 5 more places

    By Express News Service

    KOLKATA: Speaking out first time in public on the issue of recovery of cash Rs 49.8 crore from her two Apartments, Arpita Mukherjee, a close aide of suspended Trinamool Congress minister Partha Chatterjee, claimed on Tuesday that the money was not her and it was kept in her absence and without her knowledge.

    While being taken for medical examination two days ago, Chatterjee, who was arrested in connection with alleged recruitment scam in schools, said he doesn’t have any money.

    Asked from where the huge volume of cash came to her apartments, Arpita, while being taken to ESI hospital, Joka, for medical examination with Chatterjee, said, “The money was not mine. It was kept in my places when I was not present there. The money was brought there without my knowledge.”

    Chatterjee, however, did not utter a word on Tuesday. The ED conducted searches at five places, which include three apartments in south Kolkata and two nail-art outlets owned by Arpita.

    ALSO READ | SSC scam: Partha Chatterjee sticks to ‘conspiracy’ theory; aide Arpita washes off her hands

    “The raids were conducted at Baranagar, Patuli, Panditiya Road and Lake Gardens. We came to know about these places while examining the documents recovered from the residences of Chatterjee and Arpita,” said an ED official.

    The central agency did not interrogate Chatterjee and Arpita during their nine-day custody. “There were discrepancies in the statements given by both the accused. Both claimed that they don’t own the money. Arpita said she was not present when the currency notes were being kept in her apartments and she had no access to the rooms where it was kept. Chatterjee claimed that he has no idea about the money that we seized,” said an official of the agency.    

    Chatterjee and Arpita will be produced in a special prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on Wednesday. “We will mention in our submission in the court about the recovery of cash from Arpita’s second apartment after interrogating her. We will seek the suspects’ further custody,” said another ED official.

    Meanwhile, a homemaker, identified herself as Subhra Ghorui, hurled her sandals at the vehicle in which Chatterjee was being taken out after medical examination. The shoes, however, did not hit Chatterjee.

    “Had my sandals hit Chatterjee’s head, I would have been happy. He looted money from poor people. He deserves what I did,” said Subhra, a mother of a daughter who also went to the same hospital for medical check-up.

    KOLKATA: Speaking out first time in public on the issue of recovery of cash Rs 49.8 crore from her two Apartments, Arpita Mukherjee, a close aide of suspended Trinamool Congress minister Partha Chatterjee, claimed on Tuesday that the money was not her and it was kept in her absence and without her knowledge.

    While being taken for medical examination two days ago, Chatterjee, who was arrested in connection with alleged recruitment scam in schools, said he doesn’t have any money.

    Asked from where the huge volume of cash came to her apartments, Arpita, while being taken to ESI hospital, Joka, for medical examination with Chatterjee, said, “The money was not mine. It was kept in my places when I was not present there. The money was brought there without my knowledge.”

    Chatterjee, however, did not utter a word on Tuesday. The ED conducted searches at five places, which include three apartments in south Kolkata and two nail-art outlets owned by Arpita.

    ALSO READ | SSC scam: Partha Chatterjee sticks to ‘conspiracy’ theory; aide Arpita washes off her hands

    “The raids were conducted at Baranagar, Patuli, Panditiya Road and Lake Gardens. We came to know about these places while examining the documents recovered from the residences of Chatterjee and Arpita,” said an ED official.

    The central agency did not interrogate Chatterjee and Arpita during their nine-day custody. “There were discrepancies in the statements given by both the accused. Both claimed that they don’t own the money. Arpita said she was not present when the currency notes were being kept in her apartments and she had no access to the rooms where it was kept. Chatterjee claimed that he has no idea about the money that we seized,” said an official of the agency.    

    Chatterjee and Arpita will be produced in a special prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on Wednesday. “We will mention in our submission in the court about the recovery of cash from Arpita’s second apartment after interrogating her. We will seek the suspects’ further custody,” said another ED official.

    Meanwhile, a homemaker, identified herself as Subhra Ghorui, hurled her sandals at the vehicle in which Chatterjee was being taken out after medical examination. The shoes, however, did not hit Chatterjee.

    “Had my sandals hit Chatterjee’s head, I would have been happy. He looted money from poor people. He deserves what I did,” said Subhra, a mother of a daughter who also went to the same hospital for medical check-up.

  • Woman hurls shoes at suspended TMC leader Partha Chatterjee near hospital

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: A woman, a resident of West Bengal’s Amtala area, on Tuesday took off her pair of shoes and made an attempt to throw her footwear at suspended Trinamool Congress leader Partha Chatterjee when the latter was being escorted out of a hospital here by Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials.

    It, however, missed its mark.

    The incident took place when the arrested former TMC leader was taken by the ED officials to the ESI Hospital in Joka for a medical check-up.

    The middle-aged woman, Shubra Ghorui, is said to have harboured anger against Chatterjee after the seizure of around Rs 50 crore in cash, along with jewellery, by the Enforcement Directorate from two apartments of Arpita Mukherjee, a close associate of the suspended TMC leader.

    “I had come here to hit (Partha) Chatterjee with my shoes. After ‘cheating’ people he is travelling in AC cars. He must be dragged with a rope…I will walk back home barefoot. It is not only my anger but that of lakhs and lakhs of people of West Bengal,” Ghorui told reporters.

    The veteran leader, who has been relieved of his ministerial responsibilities, was then whisked away in a vehicle from the hospital premises by ED security personnel.

    “I would have been very happy if the shoes had hit him. I will not take the shoes back,” the woman stated.

    Ghorui had gone to the facility for a medical examination of her relative.

    Both Chatterjee and Mukherjee were arrested by the ED on July 23 in connection with its probe into the multi-crore teacher recruitment scam.

    The arrested leader was taken by the ED officials to the ESI Hospital in Joka for a medical check-up and police had put up tight security arrangements inside the premises.

    In the past, many politicians in the country have been targeted by angry people with shoes and slippers.

    An Aam Aadmi Party Sena member had hurled a shoe at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during a press conference in the national capital in 2016.

    Former finance minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram had narrowly escaped being hit by a Sikh journalist’s shoe in April 2009.

    KOLKATA: A woman, a resident of West Bengal’s Amtala area, on Tuesday took off her pair of shoes and made an attempt to throw her footwear at suspended Trinamool Congress leader Partha Chatterjee when the latter was being escorted out of a hospital here by Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials.

    It, however, missed its mark.

    The incident took place when the arrested former TMC leader was taken by the ED officials to the ESI Hospital in Joka for a medical check-up.

    The middle-aged woman, Shubra Ghorui, is said to have harboured anger against Chatterjee after the seizure of around Rs 50 crore in cash, along with jewellery, by the Enforcement Directorate from two apartments of Arpita Mukherjee, a close associate of the suspended TMC leader.

    “I had come here to hit (Partha) Chatterjee with my shoes. After ‘cheating’ people he is travelling in AC cars. He must be dragged with a rope…I will walk back home barefoot. It is not only my anger but that of lakhs and lakhs of people of West Bengal,” Ghorui told reporters.

    The veteran leader, who has been relieved of his ministerial responsibilities, was then whisked away in a vehicle from the hospital premises by ED security personnel.

    “I would have been very happy if the shoes had hit him. I will not take the shoes back,” the woman stated.

    Ghorui had gone to the facility for a medical examination of her relative.

    Both Chatterjee and Mukherjee were arrested by the ED on July 23 in connection with its probe into the multi-crore teacher recruitment scam.

    The arrested leader was taken by the ED officials to the ESI Hospital in Joka for a medical check-up and police had put up tight security arrangements inside the premises.

    In the past, many politicians in the country have been targeted by angry people with shoes and slippers.

    An Aam Aadmi Party Sena member had hurled a shoe at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during a press conference in the national capital in 2016.

    Former finance minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram had narrowly escaped being hit by a Sikh journalist’s shoe in April 2009.

  • SC seeks response of Centre, CVC on pleas challenging extension of ED head’s tenure

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought response of the Centre and the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) in 10 days on a batch of petitions challenging the extension of tenure of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) director and the amended law allowing such extensions up to five years.

    A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli issued notices to the respondents, including the Centre, CVC and the present ED Director, based on as many as eight petitions, including the ones filed by Congress leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala and Jaya Thakur and TMC’s Saket Gokhale.

    Lawyer M L Sharma claimed to have filed the first petition on the issue.

    “Issue notice to the central law agency. List after 10 days,” the bench said.

    Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for Surjewala, referred to the apex court judgements and said the fixed tenures are the “hallmark of independence” and the fact that an incumbent may get an extension will “demolish” the independence of the office.

    Surjewala’s plea has challenged the amendment made by the central government to the fundamental concept decided by the apex court in two judgements in the Vineet Narayan and the Common Cause cases which were on fixed tenure.

    “This amendment basically puts the incumbent on a fiduciary kind of pattern where one year, two year and three-year extension at the discretion of the executive can be achieved. The amendments provide that you can get extensions piecemeal,”” he said.

    The fact that an officer can get the extension in itself demolishes the independence, he said.

    During the hearing, the bench was informed about the appointment process of the ED Director under the CVC and the FEMA laws.

    Singhvi said unlike the CBI, the committee, which appoints ED Director, comprised only the executive.

    Senior advocate Gopal Sankarnarayanan, appearing for one the petitioners, said the present ED Director would be completing four years in the post this year, and an ordinance was promulgated a few days before his retirement on November 18 last year extending his tenure by a year more.

    Advocates Shashank Ratnoo and Varun appeared for Jaya Thakur, a Madhya Pradesh Congress leader who has filed a separate PIL in the matter.

    Advocate M L Sharma, who has filed the plea in his personal capacity, said the impugned ordinance was passed in violation of the constitutional scheme.

    A total of eight petitions have been filed on the issue, mostly challenging the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Act, 2021 which provides for extension of the term of ED’s director up to five years The Centre had on November 17, 2021 extended the tenure of ED chief Sanjay Mishra by a year till November 18, 2022, days after the Centre brought ordinances to allow the ED and CBI directors to occupy the office up to five years.

    Mishra is a 1984-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of the Income Tax (IT) cadre.

    The apex court in its September 8 judgement on a petition of NGO ‘Common Cause’ had said a reasonable period of extension can be granted to facilitate the completion of ongoing investigations only after reasons are recorded by the Committee constituted under Section 25 (a) of the CVC Act.

    It had also made it clear that no further extension can be granted to Mishra.

    The court had also stated that an extension of tenure of the director should be for a short period.

    “We do not intend to interfere with the extension of tenure of the second respondent (Mishra) in the instant case for the reason that his tenure is coming to an end in November 2021. We make it clear that no further extension shall be granted to the second respondent,” the bench had said.

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought response of the Centre and the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) in 10 days on a batch of petitions challenging the extension of tenure of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) director and the amended law allowing such extensions up to five years.

    A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli issued notices to the respondents, including the Centre, CVC and the present ED Director, based on as many as eight petitions, including the ones filed by Congress leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala and Jaya Thakur and TMC’s Saket Gokhale.

    Lawyer M L Sharma claimed to have filed the first petition on the issue.

    “Issue notice to the central law agency. List after 10 days,” the bench said.

    Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for Surjewala, referred to the apex court judgements and said the fixed tenures are the “hallmark of independence” and the fact that an incumbent may get an extension will “demolish” the independence of the office.

    Surjewala’s plea has challenged the amendment made by the central government to the fundamental concept decided by the apex court in two judgements in the Vineet Narayan and the Common Cause cases which were on fixed tenure.

    “This amendment basically puts the incumbent on a fiduciary kind of pattern where one year, two year and three-year extension at the discretion of the executive can be achieved. The amendments provide that you can get extensions piecemeal,”” he said.

    The fact that an officer can get the extension in itself demolishes the independence, he said.

    During the hearing, the bench was informed about the appointment process of the ED Director under the CVC and the FEMA laws.

    Singhvi said unlike the CBI, the committee, which appoints ED Director, comprised only the executive.

    Senior advocate Gopal Sankarnarayanan, appearing for one the petitioners, said the present ED Director would be completing four years in the post this year, and an ordinance was promulgated a few days before his retirement on November 18 last year extending his tenure by a year more.

    Advocates Shashank Ratnoo and Varun appeared for Jaya Thakur, a Madhya Pradesh Congress leader who has filed a separate PIL in the matter.

    Advocate M L Sharma, who has filed the plea in his personal capacity, said the impugned ordinance was passed in violation of the constitutional scheme.

    A total of eight petitions have been filed on the issue, mostly challenging the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Act, 2021 which provides for extension of the term of ED’s director up to five years The Centre had on November 17, 2021 extended the tenure of ED chief Sanjay Mishra by a year till November 18, 2022, days after the Centre brought ordinances to allow the ED and CBI directors to occupy the office up to five years.

    Mishra is a 1984-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of the Income Tax (IT) cadre.

    The apex court in its September 8 judgement on a petition of NGO ‘Common Cause’ had said a reasonable period of extension can be granted to facilitate the completion of ongoing investigations only after reasons are recorded by the Committee constituted under Section 25 (a) of the CVC Act.

    It had also made it clear that no further extension can be granted to Mishra.

    The court had also stated that an extension of tenure of the director should be for a short period.

    “We do not intend to interfere with the extension of tenure of the second respondent (Mishra) in the instant case for the reason that his tenure is coming to an end in November 2021. We make it clear that no further extension shall be granted to the second respondent,” the bench had said.

  • ED may arrest Raut: Uddhav tells Sena workers; calls it ‘conspiracy’ to finish off party

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) may arrest party leader Sanjay Raut, and alleged that the agency’s ongoing action against him was part of a “conspiracy” to finish off the party.

    Thackeray was addressing the party leaders and workers from Thane district at his residence ‘Matoshree’ here on the day the ED is conducting searches at Raut’s house in connection with a money laundering probe.

    “ED guests are at Sanjay Raut’s house. He may get arrested. What conspiracy is this? Shiv Sena gives strength to Hindus and Marathi people and hence there is a conspiracy to finish off the party,” he said.

    Thackeray said people whom Shiv Sena helped to grow politically are now switching loyalty.

    “Arjun Khotkar (former minister who joined the rebel camp) at least admitted that he was revolting under pressure. (Late Sena leader) Anand Dighe showed Shiv Sainiks what loyalty is when he was jailed for two years,” he said. Thackeray said Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari insulted Marathi and Maharashtra through his remarks on Mumbai. “He has to be shown Kolhapuri chappals,” he said.

    READ HERE | ‘No one can insult Mumbai, Marathi folk’: Shinde on Governor’s remark; Uddhav demands apology

    Koshyari had said on Friday evening that if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis are not there, Mumbai’s flow of money would dry up and it would cease to remain the financial capital of India.

    “What was the reaction of those who have become slaves. It was very mild. Just said we don’t agree,” he said in a veiled reference to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who led the rebellion against the party.

    “The Chief Justice of India has also said the opposition should not be considered enemies. But when we were allies, we were considered as enemies,” Thackeray said without naming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

    He said the party needs workers who are fearless and committed to fight injustice.

    ALSO READ | ED detains Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in Patra Chawl land scam case

    Shiv Sena workers from Thane under the leadership of party MP Rajan Vichare called on Thackeray to pledge their support to him.

    Talking to reporters, Vichare said, “We came to assure Uddhavji that we are with him. Shiv Sena got its first taste of power when it won the Thane civic polls. Thane will continue to be solidly behind Uddhavji.”

    Dighe’s nephew Kedar Dighe and Anita Birje, Thane district’s first woman Shiv Sainik, also met Thackeray along with Vichare and others.

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) may arrest party leader Sanjay Raut, and alleged that the agency’s ongoing action against him was part of a “conspiracy” to finish off the party.

    Thackeray was addressing the party leaders and workers from Thane district at his residence ‘Matoshree’ here on the day the ED is conducting searches at Raut’s house in connection with a money laundering probe.

    “ED guests are at Sanjay Raut’s house. He may get arrested. What conspiracy is this? Shiv Sena gives strength to Hindus and Marathi people and hence there is a conspiracy to finish off the party,” he said.

    Thackeray said people whom Shiv Sena helped to grow politically are now switching loyalty.

    “Arjun Khotkar (former minister who joined the rebel camp) at least admitted that he was revolting under pressure. (Late Sena leader) Anand Dighe showed Shiv Sainiks what loyalty is when he was jailed for two years,” he said. Thackeray said Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari insulted Marathi and Maharashtra through his remarks on Mumbai. “He has to be shown Kolhapuri chappals,” he said.

    READ HERE | ‘No one can insult Mumbai, Marathi folk’: Shinde on Governor’s remark; Uddhav demands apology

    Koshyari had said on Friday evening that if Gujaratis and Rajasthanis are not there, Mumbai’s flow of money would dry up and it would cease to remain the financial capital of India.

    “What was the reaction of those who have become slaves. It was very mild. Just said we don’t agree,” he said in a veiled reference to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who led the rebellion against the party.

    “The Chief Justice of India has also said the opposition should not be considered enemies. But when we were allies, we were considered as enemies,” Thackeray said without naming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

    He said the party needs workers who are fearless and committed to fight injustice.

    ALSO READ | ED detains Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in Patra Chawl land scam case

    Shiv Sena workers from Thane under the leadership of party MP Rajan Vichare called on Thackeray to pledge their support to him.

    Talking to reporters, Vichare said, “We came to assure Uddhavji that we are with him. Shiv Sena got its first taste of power when it won the Thane civic polls. Thane will continue to be solidly behind Uddhavji.”

    Dighe’s nephew Kedar Dighe and Anita Birje, Thane district’s first woman Shiv Sainik, also met Thackeray along with Vichare and others.

  • NSE phone tapping case: Ex-Mumbai police chief Sanjay Pandey moves court for bail

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Former Mumbai police commissioner Sanjay Pandey has moved a Delhi court seeking bail in a case of alleged phone tapping of NSE employees, claiming that ED proceedings against him were the result of political fallout.

    The petition is likely to come up for hearing on August 2 before special judge Sunena Sharma.

    In his petition, Pandey said he had investigated and prosecuted several high-profile and politically sensitive cases, and claimed that the present proceedings were “a political fallout of honest and sincere discharge of his duties as a senior police officer”.

    “The instant case is clearly motivated by political considerations and it is also evident from the fact that an offence that allegedly occurred between 2009 and 2017 is being investigated in 2022 i.e., 13 years after its purported commencement and five years after its purported closure; and that too within a week of the applicant emitting his office,” he said.

    The application also said that a huge delay was caused in the registration of the FIR, which raised serious doubts on the bona fides of the investigation.

    “It appears that the applicant (Sanjay Pandey) is arraigned in the present case, for no fault of his own, and only to fulfil some political vendetta,” it said.

    The court has issued a notice to the ED on the application and sought its reply on August 2.

    Pandey was arrested by the investigating agency on July 19 in the case.

    The ED arrested former NSE MD Chitra Ramakrishnan on July 14 following her interrogation after taking permission from the court, where she was produced from jail on an order passed by the judge earlier.

    The judge had issued a production warrant against Ramakrishnan on a plea moved by the ED. After she was produced, the ED took permission from the court to interrogate her.

    Later, the agency arrested Ramakrishnan on grounds of non-cooperation and again produced her before the court, and urged for a nine-day custodial interrogation. The court, however, had granted four days’ custody.

    Ramakrishnan was arrested by the CBI in a separate case, and was in judicial custody.

    NEW DELHI: Former Mumbai police commissioner Sanjay Pandey has moved a Delhi court seeking bail in a case of alleged phone tapping of NSE employees, claiming that ED proceedings against him were the result of political fallout.

    The petition is likely to come up for hearing on August 2 before special judge Sunena Sharma.

    In his petition, Pandey said he had investigated and prosecuted several high-profile and politically sensitive cases, and claimed that the present proceedings were “a political fallout of honest and sincere discharge of his duties as a senior police officer”.

    “The instant case is clearly motivated by political considerations and it is also evident from the fact that an offence that allegedly occurred between 2009 and 2017 is being investigated in 2022 i.e., 13 years after its purported commencement and five years after its purported closure; and that too within a week of the applicant emitting his office,” he said.

    The application also said that a huge delay was caused in the registration of the FIR, which raised serious doubts on the bona fides of the investigation.

    “It appears that the applicant (Sanjay Pandey) is arraigned in the present case, for no fault of his own, and only to fulfil some political vendetta,” it said.

    The court has issued a notice to the ED on the application and sought its reply on August 2.

    Pandey was arrested by the investigating agency on July 19 in the case.

    The ED arrested former NSE MD Chitra Ramakrishnan on July 14 following her interrogation after taking permission from the court, where she was produced from jail on an order passed by the judge earlier.

    The judge had issued a production warrant against Ramakrishnan on a plea moved by the ED. After she was produced, the ED took permission from the court to interrogate her.

    Later, the agency arrested Ramakrishnan on grounds of non-cooperation and again produced her before the court, and urged for a nine-day custodial interrogation. The court, however, had granted four days’ custody.

    Ramakrishnan was arrested by the CBI in a separate case, and was in judicial custody.

  • Sonia Gandhi’s second round of ED questioning likely on July 26

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Congress President Sonia Gandhi is expected to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) Tuesday for her second round of questioning in the money laundering case linked to the National Herald newspaper.

    She is expected to depose before the federal probe agency around noon on July 26 for the recording of her statement by the ED investigating officer, officials said.

    Initially, she was summoned by the agency on Monday but it was deferred by a day.

    The 75-five-year-old Gandhi was questioned for over two hours during her first day of questioning in the case on July 21 where she replied to 28 questions put forth by the agency, that is probing alleged financial irregularities in the Congress-promoted Young Indian Private Limited, which owns the National Herald newspaper.

    Officials said that like it was on the first day of her appearance, all Covid-appropriate protocols will be put in place Tuesday as well such as the stationing of doctors and an ambulance, ‘Covid negative’ certificates of investigators and proper physical distancing between Gandhi and the team of investigators.

    Gandhi’s children Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi are expected to accompany her to the ED office again as they did last week. Vadra may again stay back in order to provide any medicines and other medical care, if required.

    ALSO READ | My daughter being targeted for my stand on ‘loot’ by Sonia, Rahul Gandhi: Smriti Irani

    Congress has slammed the agency’s action against its top leadership and termed it “political vendetta”.

    The Delhi Police is also expected to deploy a huge force, including CRPF and RAF personnel, and barricade the entire over one kilometre stretch between her residence and the ED office.

    The move to question the Gandhis was initiated after the ED late last year registered a fresh case under the criminal provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

    This was after a trial court here took cognisance of an Income Tax department probe against Young Indian based on a private criminal complaint by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy in 2013.

    Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are among the promoters and majority shareholders in Young Indian. Like her son, the Congress president too has 38 per cent shareholding.

    Swamy had accused the Gandhis and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds, with Young Indian paying only Rs 50 lakh to obtain the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore that Associate Journals Limited owed to the Congress.

    In February last year, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to the Gandhis seeking their response on Swamy’s plea.

    Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Pawan Bansal were questioned by the ED in the case in April.

    Congress has maintained there has been no wrongdoing and Young Indian is a “not-for-profit” company established under section 25 of the Companies Act and hence there can be no question of money laundering.

    It is understood that Rahul Gandhi, during his deposition before the ED, stuck to the position that there was no personal acquisition of assets by himself or his family.

    According to the ED, assets worth about Rs 800 crore are “owned” by the AJL and the agency wants to know from the Gandhis how a not-for-profit company like Young Indian was undertaking commercial activities of renting out its land and building assets.

    NEW DELHI: Congress President Sonia Gandhi is expected to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) Tuesday for her second round of questioning in the money laundering case linked to the National Herald newspaper.

    She is expected to depose before the federal probe agency around noon on July 26 for the recording of her statement by the ED investigating officer, officials said.

    Initially, she was summoned by the agency on Monday but it was deferred by a day.

    The 75-five-year-old Gandhi was questioned for over two hours during her first day of questioning in the case on July 21 where she replied to 28 questions put forth by the agency, that is probing alleged financial irregularities in the Congress-promoted Young Indian Private Limited, which owns the National Herald newspaper.

    Officials said that like it was on the first day of her appearance, all Covid-appropriate protocols will be put in place Tuesday as well such as the stationing of doctors and an ambulance, ‘Covid negative’ certificates of investigators and proper physical distancing between Gandhi and the team of investigators.

    Gandhi’s children Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi are expected to accompany her to the ED office again as they did last week. Vadra may again stay back in order to provide any medicines and other medical care, if required.

    ALSO READ | My daughter being targeted for my stand on ‘loot’ by Sonia, Rahul Gandhi: Smriti Irani

    Congress has slammed the agency’s action against its top leadership and termed it “political vendetta”.

    The Delhi Police is also expected to deploy a huge force, including CRPF and RAF personnel, and barricade the entire over one kilometre stretch between her residence and the ED office.

    The move to question the Gandhis was initiated after the ED late last year registered a fresh case under the criminal provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

    This was after a trial court here took cognisance of an Income Tax department probe against Young Indian based on a private criminal complaint by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy in 2013.

    Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are among the promoters and majority shareholders in Young Indian. Like her son, the Congress president too has 38 per cent shareholding.

    Swamy had accused the Gandhis and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds, with Young Indian paying only Rs 50 lakh to obtain the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore that Associate Journals Limited owed to the Congress.

    In February last year, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to the Gandhis seeking their response on Swamy’s plea.

    Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Pawan Bansal were questioned by the ED in the case in April.

    Congress has maintained there has been no wrongdoing and Young Indian is a “not-for-profit” company established under section 25 of the Companies Act and hence there can be no question of money laundering.

    It is understood that Rahul Gandhi, during his deposition before the ED, stuck to the position that there was no personal acquisition of assets by himself or his family.

    According to the ED, assets worth about Rs 800 crore are “owned” by the AJL and the agency wants to know from the Gandhis how a not-for-profit company like Young Indian was undertaking commercial activities of renting out its land and building assets.