National Herald case: Sonia Gandhi to appear before ED for questioning today
PremiumNational Herald case: The Enforcement Directorate will question Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in connection with the money laundering case today.
New Delhi [India], July 20 (ANI): Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday in connection with the investigation related to the National Herald money laundering case.
The Congress party has decided to stage a demonstration across the country against the BJP-led government in support of Sonia Gandhi today, as reported by news agency ANI.
Taking to Twitter, Congress leader Manickam Tagore said, "Congress office HQ in Akbar Road but now closed by shah police.... They know the strength of Congress workers and their commitment."
According to the reports, police have already made arrangements and barricaded Akbar Road as the party headquarters is located at 24, Akbar Road, in view of Sonia Gandhi's questioning by ED.
Delhi Police also said that the traffic is likely to be hit in the national capital due to Sonia Gandhi's appearance before the federal agency in the money laundering case today.
Traffic may also be affected due to an increase in the number of kanwariyas passing through parts of Delhi on Thursday, police said.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has asked Gandhi to appear before it on July 21 for questioning in the National Herald case.
A senior Delhi Police official said that in view of the ongoing Parliament session, adequate security and traffic arrangements have been made to deal with any "contagious situation" which may arise due to the protests over the Congress chief's questioning.
The 75-year-old Congress leader, who was supposed to depose before the agency last month, requested for delaying the investigations owing to the fact the doctors had "strictly advised her to rest at home following her hospitalisation on account of covid-19 and lung infection". Following this, officials informed that they would record her statement in the last week of July.
The Congress chief was first issued ED notice for an appearance on June 8 but after she reported positive for covid-19, a fresh notice for an appearance on June 23 was issued.
The Congress chief was admitted to a private hospital in Delhi owing to covid-related complications on June 12, days after testing positive for covid-19 on June 2.
Meanwhile, in the month of June, Rahul Gandhi was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate for 54 hours in five days in the matter.
The Income Tax department had filed a charge sheet alleging financial irregularities in the Congress-promoted Young Indian Private Limited, which owns the National Herald newspaper. The IT department had been investigating the case since 2016.
The ED recently registered a fresh case under the criminal provisions of the PMLA after a trial court took cognisance of an Income Tax department probe against Young Indian. Following which, ED decided to summon Gandhis for questioning.
(With agencies inputs)
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