An Enforcement Directorate source has revealed that during the probe, none of the Congress leaders who were called for questioning submitted any document to prove that all financial decisions related to the acquisition of Associated Journals Limited (AJL) by Young Indian were taken by former Congress Treasurer Motilal Vora.
Sonia and Rahul Gandhi blame late Motilal Vora for financial irregularities in AJL acquisition
Notably, both Rahul and Sonia Gandhi had, during ED questioning, blamed now-deceased Congress leader Motilal Vora for alleged financial irregularities. Rahul Gandhi and his mother both had washed their hands off having any personal knowledge about the transactions which are being probed for money laundering. They told the ED officials that the 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.
Reiterating that no meeting regarding the financial transactions related to the acquisition of AJL was held, the ED source said that had it been the case then why no minutes of the meeting were submitted by those who were called for questioning?
Notably, Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Pawan Bansal, Suman Dubey, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi have been questioned in this case so far.
ED summons Kharge during Parliament Session, says had no choice
In response to a charge from the Congress that the Centre summoned Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of the opposition for the Congress in the Rajya Sabha, while Parliament was in session, an ED source said the agency was forced to make the call because he is the only employee of Young Indian Private Limited.
On Thursday, Congress had created a major hue and cry about the fact that Kharge was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) while he was attending the Parliament session. Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Thursday amid sloganeering by Congress members against the alleged misuse of the Enforcement Directorate by the government.
Asserting that the Congress won’t be intimidated by such summons, Kharge said, “I received ED summon, they called me at 12.30 pm. I want to abide by the law, but is it right for them to summon when Parliament is in session? Is it right for the Police to gherao residences of Sonia Gandhi & Rahul Gandhi?.. We won’t be scared, we’ll fight.”
ED seals Young India office, says Mallikarjun Kharge came and left without cooperating with the raid
It may be recalled that yesterday when ED officials sealed the Young India office, they said that Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge had visited the building when ED officials were there, but he allegedly refused to cooperate and left the building. The action by the central investigation agency has been taken as a part of an ongoing money laundering investigation.
ED unearths hawala link in the National Herald case
Notably, the action came a day after the ED conducted raids at 12 locations linked to Congress mouthpiece National Herald in connection with a money laundering case. During the raids, the probe agency recovered documentary evidence which reflects the hawala transactions from hawala operators of Mumbai and Kolkata.
Meanwhile, ED is not convinced by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi’s claim that all financial decisions regarding AJL and Young Indian were by Motilal Vohra and are re-examining the mother-son statements, after which it will decide on the future course of action.
