National Herald case: Relief for Rahul, Sonia Gandhi; court refuses to take cognisance of ED chargesheet

NEW DELHI: Delhi’s rouse avenue court on Tuesday refused to take cognisance in proceedings arising from a fresh FIR registered in the National Herald case, observing that the Enforcement Directorate’s probe is based on a private complaint and not on any FIR.The court also ruled that Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other accused are not entitled to a copy of the FIR at this stage. However, it allowed the ED to continue further investigation in the matter.The court noted that cognisance could not be taken as the ED’s case stems from a private complaint filed by

BJP

leader

Subramanian Swamy

and the magistrate’s summoning orders, and not from an FIR.The Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) registered an FIR against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others on a complaint by the ED as part of its money laundering probe into the high-profile National Herald case.Reacting to the FIR, the Congress accused the BJP of pursuing a “politics of harassment, intimidation and vendetta” against its top leadership. The party alleged that the “Modi-Shah duo” was misusing investigative agencies and maintained that the National Herald case was “completely bogus,” asserting that justice would ultimately prevail.Rejecting these allegations, senior BJP leader and former Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad termed the Congress’s claims “baseless.”

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not in office when the private complaint was filed, pointing out that the matter dates back to 2008.“Congress is levelling false and baseless allegations. We vehemently condemn it and request them to give an account of the loot they committee instead of giving speeches… Let the law take its course.” Prasad further added, “The country should know that in the FIR filed by Delhi Police, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have been charged under section 120 (B) for criminal conspiracy and Section 420. The case has been filed under the old penal code because the case is old.

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