Delhi Police denies permission for Congress rally against Rahul Gandhi’s ED questioning

New Delhi: The Delhi Police has denied permission to the Congress rally scheduled for Monday (June 13, 2022) against Rahul Gandhi’s questioning by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the National Herald case today. Congress sources said the party has approached the Delhi Police again, asking them to reconsider the decision.

The Congress rally is scheduled to be taken out on Monday, by the party leaders and workers from AICC HQ at 24, Akbar Road to the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) office at APJ Abdul Kalam road.

The Delhi Police cited law and order behind the denial of the permission for the rally. The Congress has planned to demonstrate a political show of strength on Monday when the party leader Rahul Gandhi appears before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection in connection with a money laundering case linked to the National Herald newspaper. 

ED on Friday issued a fresh summons to Sonia Gandhi asking her to appear on June 23 for questioning in connection with the National Herald money laundering case. Rahul Gandhi has been summoned to join the investigation on June 13. He was earlier summoned to join the investigation but he was out of the country and later he was given a fresh date of June 13 to join the probe.

According to sources, Congress MPs, and Congress Working Committee (CWC) members have also been asked to be present in Delhi on Monday for the rally.

A meeting of All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretaries, State Incharges, and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chiefs was called on Thursday to decide the strategy for the same.

Earlier, Congress leader Manickam Tagore said that party workers will hold demonstrations at around 25 offices of the probe agency across the country against the political vendata and the "misuse" of the central investigative agencies by the Central government to "silence the voice of opposition". Meanwhile, the Congress party has alleged that it is a "political vendetta" and the case has no grounds for investigation.

The ED also questioned senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Treasurer Pawan Bansal in April this year in New Delhi in connection with its money laundering probe into the National Herald case.

The agency then recorded the statements of both the Congress leaders under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). 

The National Herald is published by Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and owned by Young Indian Private Limited (YIL). While Kharge is the CEO of YIL, Bansal is the Managing Director of AJL.

The ED is currently investigating the shareholding pattern and financial transactions as well as the role of party functionaries in the functioning of the AJL and YIL. The YIL promoters include Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.