5 months ago
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The Delhi High Court connected Monday (December 22, 2025) asked Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others to respond to a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging a proceedings tribunal order refusing to instrumentality cognisance of its complaint expanse against them successful the National Herald case.
Justice Ravinder Dudeja issued announcement to the Gandhis and others connected the main petition arsenic good arsenic connected the ED’s exertion seeking a enactment connected the December 16 proceedings tribunal order, which held that cognisance of the agency’s ailment successful the lawsuit was “impermissible successful law” arsenic it was not founded connected an FIR The precocious tribunal listed the substance for further proceeding connected March 12, 2026.
While Solicitor General Tushar Mehta represented the ED successful the case, elder advocates Abhishek Singhvi and R.S. Cheema represented the Gandhis.
In its order, the proceedings tribunal said an probe and the consequent prosecution ailment (equivalent to complaint sheet) pertaining to the offence of wealth laundering is “not maintainable” successful the lack of an FIR for the offence mentioned successful the docket to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). It said the agency’s probe stemmed from a backstage ailment and not an FIR.
It said cognisance upon the ailment being liable to beryllium declined connected a question of law, different arguments relating to the merits of the allegations are not required to beryllium adjudicated upon.
The proceedings tribunal said contempt receiving the ailment made by BJP person Subramanian Swamy and the consequent summoning bid successful 2014, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) refrained from registering an FIR successful narration to the alleged scheduled offence.
The ED has accused Ms. Sonia Gandhi and Mr. Rahul Gandhi, arsenic good arsenic precocious Congress leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, on with Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and a backstage company, Young Indian, of conspiracy and wealth laundering.
It has been alleged that they acquired properties worthy astir ₹2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which publishes the National Herald newspaper.
The investigating bureau further alleged that the Gandhis held the bulk 76% shares successful Young Indian, which “fraudulently” usurped the assets of AJL successful speech for a ₹90 crore loan.
