Senior Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi during his probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over last few days blamed now-deceased Congress leader Motilal Vora for alleged financial irregularities. As per a report by Times of India, Rahul Gandhi told the ED officials that former Congress Treasurer was responsible for all transactions related to the acquisition of Associated Journals Limited (AJL) by Young Indian. AJL publishes National Herald, the party’s mouthpiece masquerading as a newspaper.
Motilal Vora passed away in December 2020 at age 92.
As per the report, Rahul Gandhi has washed his hands off from having any personal knowledge about the transactions which are being probed for money laundering. Young Indian and AJL are both companies which are controlled by the Gandhi family. Citing sources, the ToI report states Rahul Gandhi has denied having any knowledge of loans or the accommodation entries made by the Young Indian and put the blame squarely on shoulders of Motilal Vora, a Gandhi family loyalist who is no more. Congress, however, has refused to comment on the same.
Citing ED sources, the report further stated that it the ED did not grill Rahul Gandhi continuously for hours as suggested by Congress workers. The reason the questioning was delayed was because after every few hours Rahul Gandhi kept reviewing his answers. So effectively, they only managed six hours of questioning in three days of questioning. Rahul Gandhi has sought exemption from questioning on Thursday and hence it shall now continue on Friday.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who has also been summoned by the ED for questioning on June 23, and her son Rahul Gandhi together hold 76% stake in the Young Indian. Of the remaining 24%, deceased Motilal Vora and another Congress loyalist Oscar Fernandes held 12% each. Sonia Gandhi was last week admitted to hospital after she tested positive for Covid.
In April this year, the ED recorded statements of Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and current treasurer of Congress Pawan Bansal, who are also office bearers in AJL and YI. The summons to Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi were issued after that.
However, the Congress workers have taken to streets since Monday to protest against the summons by ED. In fact, the party workers indulged in arson and burnt tyres on streets of Delhi to protest. Now, the questioning will take place on Friday.
However, since past three weeks now, Fridays in some part of the country have turned violent after Muslim mobs have taken to streets to pelt stones while protesting against ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s comments on Prophet Muhammad. People have raised concerns of law and order situation for Friday as there is fear of Islamist mob resorting to stone pelting yet again as well as Congress workers who have been taken to violent protests as well. The two sets of protestors coinciding might worsen the law and order situation.
National Herald case
The National Herald scam is one of the most notable legal cases in Indian history, as the Gandhis are directly accused. The Mother-Son duo of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul, along with their aides – Oscar Fernandez, Motilal Vora and Sam Pithroda are alleged to have been involved in massive ‘cheating and breach of trust’ in the acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) by Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YIL). Assets worth crores of rupees had been allegedly transferred for purposes other than originally intended for a paltry sum. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi got unconditional bail in December 2015.
