GUWAHATI: The Enforcement Directorate has filed a chargesheet against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others in connection with alleged money laundering in the National Herald case.
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The Congress has described the chargesheet as “state-sponsored crime masquerading as the rule of law” and asked its leaders and workers to stage protests in state capitals and district headquarters on Wednesday, April 16 against the "crude attempt at political intimidation" by the ruling BJP, according to reports.
Special judge Vishal Gogne took up the chargesheet, filed on April 9, for cognisance and listed the matter for further hearing on April 25.
The probe agency has named former Congress president Sonia Gandhi as accused number 1 and her son, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, as accused number 2 in its prosecution complaint.
The charges were filed under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) before the court of special judge Vishal Gogne.
The chargesheet also names Congress associates Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda, the companies Young Indian and Dotex Merchandise Private Limited, and Sunil Bhandari of Dotex Merchandise as accused.
The ED has invoked sections 44 and 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for committing the offence of money laundering under Section 3 of the Act, along with Section 70, which deals with offences by companies, to establish the vicarious liability of the firms' office bearers and executives.
The agency has sought punishment for the accused under Section 4 of the PMLA, which provides for a jail term of up to seven years.
Witchhunt: Congress
Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal said the filing of the charge-sheet represents a "grotesque misuse of state power" and a "direct assault on the idea of democratic opposition" by the ruling regime, which has "gone completely berserk", he said, adding that the Congress will "never be silenced.”
"The values of truth, justice, and Constitutional democracy are non-negotiable for us. Satyameva Jayate (Let Truth Prevail) is not just a slogan, it is a conviction," Venugopal said in a circular.
Calling it a "witch hunt", he posted on 'X', "this reeks of desperation from the PM and Home Minister, who are failing to address the concerns of the people and are looking to continuously create distraction after distraction. However, it seems they have forgotten that this is a family that has given its blood for the country. Their petty tactics, using their lapdog agencies, are not going to deter us -- in fact, it is only going to further strengthen our resolve against this divisive, destructive regime."
