‘Justice will ultimately triumph’: Cong on FIR in National Herald case

Bilkul Online

11 months ago

New Delhi, Nov 30 : Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Sunday strongly criticised the fresh FIR registered by the Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) against Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in the long-running National Herald money laundering case. In a post on X, Ramesh wrote: “The Modi-Shah duo is continuing with its mischievous politics of harassment, intimidation, and vendetta against the top leadership of the INC.

Those who threaten are themselves insecure and afraid. The National Herald matter is a completely bogus case. “Justice will ultimately triumph. Satyameva Jayate,” he added. Ramesh’s comments come amid escalating political tensions following the registration of the FIR, which has reignited a decade-long dispute involving the National Herald newspaper and its parent company, Associated Journals Limited (AJL). The FIR names Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and six others in connection with allegations of criminal conspiracy and financial irregularities. The Congress leader accused the BJP leadership of using investigative agencies to target opposition figures, calling the move an attempt to intimidate and harass party leadership. His remarks highlight the ongoing clash between the ruling party and Congress over the handling of high-profile legal cases, which opposition leaders claim are politically motivated.

The registration of the FIR comes after repeated scrutiny of financial transactions and property acquisitions linked to AJL and associated entities. Congress leaders have consistently maintained that the case is politically engineered to malign the party and its senior leadership, while BJP leaders have defended it as a legitimate legal action backed by evidence. The EOW registered the FIR on October 3, based on a complaint from the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The FIR accuses Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and six others of criminal conspiracy to “fraudulently take over Associated Journals Limited (AJL)”, the parent company of the out-of-print National Herald newspaper. Alongside Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, the FIR names Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, and Sunil Bhandari, as well as three entities: Young Indian, Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd, and AJL. According to the FIR, the alleged conspiracy aimed to acquire AJL — which owned properties valued at over Rs 2,000 crore — for a nominal sum of Rs 50 lakh through Young Indian, a company reportedly beneficially owned by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.