Congress slams ED raids in National Herald case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday raided the head office of the Congress party-owned National Herald newspaper in Delhi and 11 other locations as part of an ongoing money laundering investigation, officials said, a week after it questioned Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.The action is being undertaken in light of fresh evidence obtained by the ED after the latest questioning of various people, in this case. According to officials, ED carried out the raids to collect documentary evidence relevant to the central agency probe. The alleged corruption case was filed 10 years ago by Bharatiya Janata Party MP Subramaniam Swamy to look into the suspected misuse of Congress’ funds to take over AJL through Young India, which resulted in the acquisition of all immovable properties of AJL.

“This is political vendetta to ruin the image of Congress... The party will not tolerate these kinds of actions by the government,” leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said, adding that the BJP-led central government wants to “suppress the voice of Congress and create fear”. Responding to the comments made by the Congress, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, “The ED is doing its job and it is sending out a message that everyone is equal in the eyes of law. The Congress is crying foul and saying that it is a case of political vendetta, but Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi moved the Supreme Court and high court, and still did not get any relief.”