National Herald Case: ED Seizes Assets Worth Over Rs 750 Crore, Congress Calls Action ‘Vendetta Tactic’
The federal investigation agency alleged in a statement that in this case, Congress shareholders and donors were “cheated” by the office holders of AJL and the party.
New Delhi: In a major setback for the Congress party, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday said it has seized immovable assets and shares worth around Rs 752 crore as part of the ongoing money laundering probe against National Herald newspaper and associated companies .
According to the reports, the properties seized include the National Herald office premises at the ITO in Delhi, the Nehru Bhawan on Mall Avenue near Kaiserbagh in Lucknow and the Herald House in Mumbai.
Condemning the Central Agency’s action, the Congress termed the ED’s action as “petty revenge tactics” and called the agency a “coalition partner” of the BJP, which, it claimed, was staring at certain defeat in the Assembly elections.
Assembly elections in five states – Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram – are underway and counting of votes is scheduled to begin on December 3.
The federal investigation agency alleged in a statement that in this case, Congress shareholders and donors were “deceived” by the office bearers of AJL and the party.
An interim attachment order has been issued against Associated Journals Ltd by the Federal Investigation Agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). (AJL) and Young Indian (YI).
What does ED say in its statement:
In the statement, the ED said it has issued the order to provisionally attach properties worth Rs 751.9 crore in the money laundering case being probed by the ED under the PMLA.
As per the law, such an interim order has to be approved by the Adjudicating Authority of PMLA within a period of six months, after which the ED can take possession of the seized properties.
“Investigations have shown that Associated Journals Ltd. (AJL) is in possession of proceeds of crime in the form of immovable properties spread across many cities in India such as Delhi, Mumbai and Lucknow, amounting to Rs. 661.69 crore and Young Indian (YI) is in possession of proceeds of crime worth Rs. 90.21 crore in the form of investments in equity shares of AJL,” the report said.
The Gandhis, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leaders Pawan Bansal, DK Shivakumar (Karnataka deputy chief minister) and his MP brother DK Suresh were interrogated and their statements were recorded by the agency in connection with the case last year.