ED moves to seize assets linked to Sonia, Rahul Gandhi in ₹2,000 crore National Herald Case

In a major escalation in the National Herald case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has begun the process of taking physical possession of assets linked to senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. These properties were allegedly fraudulently acquired by Young Indian Limited (YIL), a firm in which both leaders are principal stakeholders.

On April 11, the ED issued formal notices to property registrars across Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow. These regions house immovable assets previously owned by Associated Journals Limited (AJL)—the original publisher of the now-defunct National Herald newspaper. The properties were transferred to Young Indian for a mere ₹50 lakh, while their estimated worth reportedly exceeds ₹2,000 crore.

The case, originally initiated through a 2014 complaint by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, accuses the Congress leadership of orchestrating a fraudulent financial operation. According to ED findings, the alleged money laundering involved ₹988 crore and included bogus donations, manipulated rent agreements, and dubious ad revenues. The central agency believes the transactions were intended to siphon off funds through a political-corporate shell structure.

This move comes after the Adjudicating Authority confirmed the ED’s provisional attachment of AJL’s assets in November 2023, which included properties valued at ₹661 crore and shares worth ₹90.2 crore. The ED has now followed up with enforcement actions to prevent what it terms the “continued enjoyment and monetisation of tainted assets.”

Additionally, a separate notice has been served to Jindal South West Projects, which occupies three floors in Herald House, Mumbai. The firm has been instructed to reroute all rent payments to the ED instead of Young Indian or AJL.

Despite legal pushback from the Congress party, both the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court have allowed the probe to proceed. As ED officials continue to uncover new layers of financial irregularities, this case remains a critical flashpoint in the ongoing political and legal tussle between the BJP and Congress.