National Herald Case | ED Issues Summons to Sonia Gandhi for 21 July: Report

The ED wants to record the statements of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi under criminal sections of the PMLA.

File image of Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

(Photo: PTI)

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Congress President Sonia Gandhi for questioning in the National Herald case on 21 July, news agency ANI reported, quoting official sources.

On 23 June, the central agency had asked Gandhi to record her statement in the case during the last week of July, accepting a request to postpone questioning.

Gandhi had initially been summoned for an appearance on 8 June but after she reported positive for COVID-19, a fresh notice for an appearance on 23 June was issued.

However, she had written a letter seeking more time citing strict advice from doctors "to rest at home following her hospitalisation on account of COVID and lung infection."

On Monday, 20 June, she was discharged from the hospital in Delhi, where she had been admitted for COVID-19-related complications. She was admitted to the hospital on 12 June after testing positive for COVID-19 on 2 June.

The Congress president has a history of asthma and chest infections.

What Is the Case?

The ED had registered the case to probe alleged financial irregularities in the party-promoted group Young Indian, which owns the National Herald newspaper.

The ED wants to record the statements of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The questioning of the Gandhis is part of the ED's investigation to understand the shareholding pattern, financial transactions, and role of the promoters of Young Indian and AJL, officials had said.

(With inputs from ANI.)