National Herald case: ED had nothing to ask Sonia Gandhi post 3 pm, claims Congress

Gandhi appeared before the ED Thursday as she was summoned in the National Herald money laundering case.

Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram tweeted, "The ED had no more questions after 3 pm. Despite Mrs Sonia Gandhi offering to continue to be available for questioning, the ED concluded the questioning today.

"We were allowed to leave the Kingsway Camp police lines at 4 pm. On my way home. We were allowed to leave the Kingsway Camp police lines at 4 pm."

Meanwhile, the BJP has slammed the Congress for nationwide protests against the summoning of its party chief.

"Today Sonia Gandhi is going to be interrogated by the ED. The Congress party is going to conduct Satyagraha. This is not a Satyagraha, it is a chauvinism against the laws of the country and the country's institutions," said BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar on Thursday.

He added that "Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are on bail in this case, they are also accused of cheating".

What is the case?

The case relates to the ED probe into the alleged financial irregularities between Young Indian and Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), which publishes the National Herald newspaper.

As per the complaint filed in the court of the Metropolitan Magistrate, Associated Journals Limited (AJL) took an interest-free loan of Rs. 90.25 crore from Indian National Congress, which was not paid back.

Congress has maintained there is no money laundering involved and has called the summon a politically motivated move.

According to media reports, Rahul had told the ED during interrogation that late party leader Motilal Vora had overseen all the transactions related to the YI-AJL deal.

It may be noted that Gandhi was referring to the acquisition by Young India of Associated Journals Limited's assets worth hundreds of crores from Congress.