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Enforcement Directorate Moves to Seize ₹700 Crore of Gandhis’ Assets in National Herald Case
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated proceedings to seize assets worth more than ₹700 crore linked to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), a company closely connected with Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The properties under scrutiny include high-value real estate in Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow, most notably the Herald House located on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg in New Delhi.
The investigation found that Young Indian, a private firm in which both Sonia and Rahul Gandhi hold majority stakes, acquired AJL’s properties—valued at around ₹2,000 crore—for just ₹50 lakh. The ED has alleged that this acquisition grossly undervalued the assets and violated financial and legal norms. Further scrutiny revealed that proceeds of crime were generated through questionable financial channels, including bogus donations worth ₹18 crore, advance rent collections totaling ₹38 crore, and advertisements amounting to ₹29 crore.
Enforcement Directorate Actions
Under the provisions of Section 8 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED has now begun the formal process of taking physical possession of the attached properties. As part of this, notices have been affixed to the premises, and tenants renting the properties have been instructed to direct future rent payments to the ED instead of the previous owners or administrators.
This decisive action follows extensive questioning of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi as well as other individuals linked to the transactions. The agency’s case has withstood multiple legal challenges, with both the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court allowing the probe and subsequent actions to move forward without interruption.
Gandhis’ Assets Seizure
The ED’s move to seize the ₹700 crore worth of properties marks a crucial development in the high-profile National Herald case, which has remained a subject of political and legal controversy for years. These properties were previously provisionally attached by the ED in November 2023. The current possession proceedings are meant to prevent further misappropriation and ensure that the properties are secured under the law.
As the case progresses, legal responses from the Congress leadership and the Gandhi family are expected. The outcome of this enforcement action could have far-reaching implications not only for those directly involved but also for the broader discourse on political accountability and financial transparency in India.
