ED Probes Congress Donations to Young Indian in Herald Case
In a major escalation in the National Herald case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has alleged that senior Congress leaders donated large sums to Young Indian Ltd under directions from party high command. The company, controlled by Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, is at the center of what the ED claims is a massive money laundering scheme involving questionable acquisition of assets and financial misrepresentation.
“Congress leaders donated lakhs to Rahul, Sonia-owned firm Young Indian,” says ED in new chargesheet.
Alleged Political Donations from Across Congress States
According to the ED’s findings, the flow of funds to Young Indian was not coincidental but carefully coordinated, with regional Congress leaders contributing on instructions from central party figures.
- In Telangana, over ₹80 lakh was donated by four leaders reportedly on directions from then Congress MLA and now Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. Key contributions included ₹20 lakh each from Gali Anil Kumar and Ali Shabbir, ₹15 lakh from then-Treasurer P. Sudarshan, and ₹25 lakh from the then Working President of the Telangana Congress.
- In Karnataka and Punjab, senior leader Pawan Bansal allegedly guided Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D.K. Shivakumar and his brother, MP D.K. Suresh, to donate ₹25 lakh each. The National Education Trust, linked to Shivakumar, also contributed ₹2 crore to Young Indian.
These donations, the ED alleges, were part of a structured attempt to legitimize financial transfers that ultimately benefited the Gandhis.
ED’s Central Allegation: Misuse of Party Funds and Asset Grab
The ED has maintained that Young Indian acquired Associated Journals Ltd (AJL)—the publisher of National Herald newspaper—for a mere ₹50 lakh, thereby gaining control over assets worth ₹2,000 crore. The agency asserts that this was not a genuine revival of a historic media house, but a strategic acquisition for personal enrichment by the Gandhis.
ED officials allege that Rahul and Sonia Gandhi directly benefited by at least ₹142 crore in what they describe as “proceeds of crime.” The transaction, though presented as a political effort to revive AJL, is alleged to have violated financial and legal norms.
Political Fallout: BJP Silent, KTR Attacks Congress
The revelations have not gone unnoticed in the political arena. Telangana BRS leader K.T. Rama Rao slammed both BJP and Congress for their muted responses to the ED’s chargesheet, particularly pointing to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s involvement. KTR accused the Congress of turning Telangana into a personal ATM and demanded accountability.
Meanwhile, the Congress party has dismissed the ED’s charges as “baseless and politically motivated,” calling it part of a larger campaign of harassment by the ruling BJP. The party has accused the government of using investigative agencies to target opposition leadership ahead of elections.Herald case.
