Delhi HC Seeks Reply from Sonia, Rahul in National Herald Case
Court Issues Notice on ED Plea Challenging Trial Court Order
- Delhi High Court asks Sonia and Rahul Gandhi to respond to ED’s petition
- ED challenges trial court refusal to take cognisance of chargesheet
- HC issues notice on plea seeking stay on December 16 trial court order
- Matter listed for further hearing on March 12, 2026
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 22d Dec: The Delhi High Court on Monday asked Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, along with other accused, to respond to a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging a trial court order in the National Herald case.
Justice Ravinder Dudeja issued notice to the Gandhis and others on the ED’s main petition as well as on its application seeking a stay on the December 16 trial court order. The order had refused to take cognisance of the ED’s prosecution complaint, holding that such action was “impermissible in law” as it was not based on a registered FIR. The High Court has listed the matter for further hearing on March 12, 2026.
The ED was represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, while senior advocates Abhishek Singhvi and R. S. Cheema appeared for the Gandhis.
In its ruling, the trial court had observed that an investigation and prosecution for money laundering under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cannot be sustained in the absence of an FIR for a scheduled offence. It noted that the ED’s probe stemmed from a private complaint and not from an FIR, making the prosecution complaint legally untenable. Given this legal position, the court said it was unnecessary to examine the merits of the allegations.
The trial court further pointed out that despite a complaint by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and a summoning order issued in 2014, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) did not register an FIR for the alleged scheduled offence.
The ED has accused Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, late Congress leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, along with Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and the private company Young Indian, of conspiracy and money laundering. The agency has alleged that properties worth around ₹2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), publisher of the National Herald newspaper, were fraudulently acquired.
According to the ED, the Gandhis held a majority 76 per cent stake in Young Indian, which allegedly usurped AJL’s assets in exchange for a ₹90 crore loan, a charge denied by the Congress leaders.
