Ghulam Nabi Azad urges ED not to be harsh on Sonia Gandhi: 'Even in wars, kings used to...'

Ghulam Nabi Azad urges ED not to be harsh on Sonia Gandhi: 'Even in wars, kings used to...'

Sonia Gandhi was questioned by the ED for the third time in a week on Wednesday over her role in the National Herald newspaper-linked money laundering case.

New Delhi: Amid Sonia Gandhi's questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the National Herald newspaper linked money laundering case, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday (July 27, 2022) said that the political opponents should not be treated as "enemies". Azad, a prominent member of the "Group of 23 (G-23)", which has been critical of the Congress leadership, said that the law enforcement agency should keep in mind the age and health of Sonia Gandhi before subjecting her to repeated questioning in the case. He also said that the Congress chief is aged, has not been well, and was admitted to a hospital, adding she cannot withhold the pressure of probe agencies.

"Even in wars, kings used to give directions that women should not be attacked and those not keeping well should be spared," Azad said, urging the agencies not to be harsh on the Congress president.

Sonia Gandhi, 75, was questioned by the ED for the third time in a week on Wednesday over her role in the National Herald newspaper-linked money laundering case. ED officials, according to news agency PTI, quizzed Gandhi for three hours after which they indicated that the recording of her statement had concluded. The officials said the agency is likely to soon file a charge sheet in the case in which the statements of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders Pawan Bansal and Mallikarjun Kharge will be annexed.


With Wednesday's questioning, Sonia has now been quizzed for more than 11 hours over three days during which she had to answer around 100 questions, the officials said. While her first round of questioning took place on July 21, the second round was on Tuesday.

BJP hits back at Congress over Sonia Gandhi's ED questioning

As Congress leaders continued their protests in several states against Sonia's ED questioning, BJP President JP Nadda hit out at the grand old party and said that it thinks that one family is above the law.

"But this wouldn't work in this country as laws and rules are equal for all," Nadda said and described Congress protests as an "attempt to hide the truth". 

He added that everybody is answerable in front of the law, and the "Gandhis should answer the investigation agencies, but they think they are above the law."

Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur also attacked the Opposition party and accused it of trying to "mislead and pressure" central probe agencies through street protests.

"Why is Congress running away from the probe? What do they have to hide? Is the Gandhi family above law? Should there be a separate law for the Gandhi family? Why are they running away from the (probe) agencies? They should also face the probe," Thakur was quoted as saying by PTI.

What is the National Herald case, involving Sonia, Rahul Gandhi?

Earlier last month, Rahul Gandhi was also questioned by the ED in this case in sessions that clocked over 50 hours over five days. 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 (PMLA). This was after a trial court in Delhi 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 the AJL owed to the Congress.

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

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, 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 federal 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.