ED Moves Delhi High Court Against Trial Court Order in National Herald Case

New Delhi, Dec 2025 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has approached the Delhi High Court challenging a trial court order that refused to take cognisance of its money laundering complaint against Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others, in the alleged National Herald case.

The federal agency has filed a criminal revision petition against the order passed by the Rouse Avenue Court, which had dismissed the prosecution complaint filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The matter is expected to come up for hearing before the Delhi High Court next week.

Earlier, Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Court had declined to take cognisance of the ED’s complaint, stating that it was not maintainable in law. While granting relief to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, the court clarified that the ED was still free to continue its investigation in accordance with the law.

Apart from Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, the ED had named Congress Overseas chief Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, Sunil Bhandari, Young Indian, and Dotex Merchandise Private Limited as proposed accused in the case.

The case revolves around allegations that senior Congress leaders conspired to illegally gain control of assets worth over Rs 2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), the original publisher of the National Herald newspaper. It is alleged that these assets were acquired by paying a nominal sum of Rs 50 lakh through Young Indian, a company in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi hold majority shares.

The ED has argued that the matter involves a “serious economic offence,” claiming a conspiracy to form Young Indian to usurp AJL’s properties for a minimal amount, benefiting the top Congress leadership. The agency has also alleged that several senior Congress leaders were involved in fake transactions, including fraudulent advance rent payments backed by fabricated rent receipts.

The Congress leadership has consistently denied the allegations, describing the money laundering case as “unprecedented” and “really strange.”

The controversy over the National Herald’s assets first came into public focus in 2012 when BJP leader Subramanian Swamy filed a complaint in a trial court, alleging that Congress leaders had engaged in cheating and breach of trust in the process of acquiring AJL.

With the ED’s appeal now pending before the Delhi High Court, the case is set to be closely watched, given the high-profile nature of the accused and the scale of the alleged financial irregularities.