GUWAHATI: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has initiated possession proceedings in the high-profile National Herald money laundering case, moving to take control of properties belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL). The action comes under Rule 5 of the Prevention of Money Laundering (Taking Possession of Attached or Frozen Properties Confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2013, following confirmation of the provisional attachment by the Adjudicating Authority under Section 8 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The ED issued a press release on April 12, announcing the commencement of these proceedings.
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On April 11, the ED served possession notices to property registrars in Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow, where the attached AJL properties are located. In Mumbai, a separate notice was issued to M/s Jindal South West Projects Limited, which occupies three floors of Herald House in Bandra (East), directing the transfer of all monthly rent and lease proceeds to the ED. Additionally, as mandated under Rule 5(1), the ED affixed possession notices on visible parts of the AJL properties across the three cities.
The possession follows the ED’s earlier attachment of AJL properties valued at ₹661 crore and shares worth ₹90.2 crore through a provisional order dated November 20, 2023. These attachments, confirmed on April 10, 2024, stem from an investigation that identified ₹988 crore as proceeds of crime.
In accordance with Rule 5(1), the notices have also been affixed on the conspicuous parts of the following properties:
- AJL Property – Herald House, Plot No. 2, Survey No. 341, Bandra (East), Mumbai (Maharashtra)
- AJL Property – 5(A), Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi
- AJL Property – No. 1, Bisheshwar Nath Road, Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh)
The investigation originated from a private complaint filed in 2014 by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, which was subsequently taken cognizance of by the Metropolitan Magistrate, Patiala House Courts, New Delhi. According to the ED, the complaint revealed a criminal conspiracy involving several senior Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, in the alleged fraudulent acquisition of AJL’s assets by a private company, Young Indian.
The ED alleges that Young Indian, beneficially owned by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, acquired the assets of AJL—estimated at over ₹2,000 crore—for merely ₹50 lakh. The agency’s findings further identified ₹18 crore in bogus donations, ₹38 crore in fake advance rent, and ₹29 crore in fictitious advertisements as additional proceeds of crime.
To prevent further use of these proceeds, the ED has now initiated formal possession of the attached properties. Despite legal challenges, the courts—including the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court—have upheld the legitimacy of the investigation, allowing enforcement actions to continue.
