National Herald FIR triggers political storm; BJP cites ‘credible evidence’, Cong calls it ‘conspiracy’

New Delhi: A fresh political confrontation erupted on Sunday after the Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) registered a new FIR against Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald money-laundering case.

The FIR has prompted sharp, contrasting reactions from BJP allies and the Congress.

BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal strongly defended the action, asserting that the FIR was grounded in substantial evidence gathered by investigative agencies.

“Look, charges have been framed. Their names appear in the FIR. This means the investigating agency and the police have credible evidence against them. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly said that those who have looted the country will have to return what they took. This is nothing new. The Congress and its leaders are known across the country for how funds have been misused,” he said, alleging long-standing patterns of financial impropriety within the party.

Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC also denied that the FIR was politically motivated, insisting the case was rooted in “financial wrongdoing”.

“The National Herald case is not a political witch hunt. The FIR is about a criminal conspiracy involving the assets of Associated Journals Limited, which owns the National Herald Company, worth almost Rs 2,000 crore. Now there are three companies whose beneficiaries are Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. When an FIR is being lodged against them – whether it is Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi or Sam Pitroda – the Constitution is above all. I believe let law do its work…”

The Congress, however, described the FIR as the latest attempt by the BJP to target opposition leaders through investigative agencies.

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, “There is an attempt to harass the opposition; this is a conspiracy. This has never been, nor will it ever be, the democratic way of the BJP. They are adopting a completely authoritarian approach, trying to eliminate and intimidate the opposition. But we will not be afraid…”

The EOW registered the fresh FIR on October 3, acting on a complaint from the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The case accuses Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and six others of criminal conspiracy to fraudulently take over Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the parent company of the now-defunct National Herald.

Others named in the FIR include Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, Sunil Bhandari, and 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 just Rs 50 lakh through Young Indian, a company said to be beneficially owned by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.

IANS