New Delhi [India]: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has officially filed a chargesheet—referred to as a prosecution complaint—against senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the ongoing National Herald money laundering case.
Also named in the chargesheet are Congress figure Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, and multiple others, including several companies allegedly linked to the case.
The matter is scheduled for a hearing on the cognisance of the complaint before the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi on April 25.
The charges have been filed under Sections 44 and 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The complaint refers to alleged money laundering under Section 3, read with Section 70, and is punishable under Section 4 of the PMLA.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne stated:
“As per the submission of the counsel representing the ED, the predicate offence–recorded under complaint case No. 18/2019–includes charges under Sections 403, 406, and 420, read with Section 120(B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, and is currently under trial at the Rouse Avenue Courts in New Delhi.”
The court emphasized that as per Section 44(1)(c) of the PMLA, both the predicate offence and the money laundering charge must be adjudicated within the same jurisdiction and by the same court.
The National Herald case, originally initiated by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, targets Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, various associated individuals, and companies connected to the now-defunct publication.