Enforcement Directorate grills Sonia Gandhi in National Herald case; Congress protests, alleges 'political vendetta'

Sonia Gandhi's questioning began around 12:30 pm after completion of some formalities like verification of summons and signature in the attendance sheet, sources said. She has been allowed to leave on her request made on medical grounds, sources said. She has been asked to appear again on July 25.

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday grilled and recorded the statement of interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi for about two hours in the National Herald money laundering case and ended the session for the day on her request as she is recovering from Covid. Gandhi, 75, arrived at the ED headquarters located at Vidyut Lane flanking A P J Abdul Kalam Road in central Delhi a little after noon escorted by her Z+ category CRPF security cover.

National Herald case | Today's questioning of Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), has concluded. — ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2022

The questioning began around 12:30 pm after completion of some formalities like verification of summons and signature in the attendance sheet, sources said. She has been allowed to leave on her request made on medical grounds, sources said. The probe relates to alleged financial irregularities in the Congress-promoted Young Indian Private Limited, which owns the National Herald newspaper. She has been asked to appear again on July 25.

Congress stages protests, alleges ''political vendetta''

Meanwhile, Congress on Thursday slammed the Narendra Modi government for "misusing" probe agencies against opposition leaders and staged protests against the Enforcement Directorate's questioning of Sonia Gandhi, alleging the ruling BJP is treating the opposition as its enemies.'Senior Congress leaders, including some MPs, courted arrest outside the party headquarters here to protest the ED action.

Delhi | Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and other leaders & workers of the party at Kingsway Camp Police lines where they were taken after being detained by Police today during the protests over ED questioning of party's interim president Sonia Gandhi. pic.twitter.com/V1V5PlKWCK — ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2022

Leaders of various political parties, including the DMK, CPI-M, CPI, NC, TRS, MDMK, NCP and Shiv Sena, in a joint statement, condemned the ED action against Sonia Gandhi and alleged that the government was unleashing a relentless campaign against its political opponents through "mischievous" misuse of probe agencies.

Senior Congress leader and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said the probe agency should first hold a press conference to spell out under what charges Sonia Gandhi is being probed. "I condemn the ED action of calling Sonia Gandhi for questioning," he told reporters at a press conference.

"The ED should have gone to her residence to take her responses to their questions," he said, citing past precedents, adding that this is being done to "harass" her. Sonia Gandhi appeared before the ED here for questioning in the National Herald money laundering case.

"All Congress MPs and CWC members have courted mass arrest outside our party headquarters in a show of collective solidarity with Congress President Sonia Gandhi, a target of 'Vishguru's' political vendetta. We are being taken away to a police station in Old Delhi evidently," said Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh.

Another Congress leader P Chidambaram said the ED is not higher than the Supreme Court. "What is that the ED wants to 'investigate' that will not be examined by the SC," he asked.

"The ED is overreaching the SC and trying to intimidate the Congress party. The Congress party will not bow down to the intimidation," Chidambaram alleged. Congress leader Pawan Khera also alleged that whenever the government feels cornered, it brings in its agencies. "The conspiracy is to silence us and the aim is to make the country opposition-free," he alleged.

Referring to the questioning of Rahul Gandhi earlier in the case, Gehlot said never has anyone questioned a leader for five days in a row and long hours of questioning. "Their aim is to demoralise and create problems," he alleged. "They are treating opposition leaders as if they are their enemies," he also alleged. Gehlot said this action comes after the Udaipur declaration of the Congress party, which received a very encouraging response from the public.

Earlier in the day, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had claimed that the media was also being prevented from entering the party headquarters. "From the early hours of this morning the Delhi Police, obviously taking orders from the Union Home Minister, is preventing the media from entering the Congress party headquarters. This high-handedness was only to be expected and reflects the mindset of the Modi Sarkar," Ramesh said on Twitter.

He also said that the ED action comes to prevent Congress from raising issues of the public like price rise and unemployment, which they will continue. The Congress has organised protests in the national capital and across the country. Gehlot alleged that there are two laws in India, one for the BJP and one for the opposition. He said the ED has carried out 1,700 raids and their conviction rate is 0.5 per cent as due processes are not followed.

The Rajasthan chief minister said he wanted to meet the heads of the IT, CBI, ED and CBDT chairman as the credibility of these probe agencies in the eyes of the public is going down.