The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police has registered a fresh FIR against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and six others. The case is linked to the controversial takeover of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL).

AJL earlier had connections with the Congress party and reportedly owned properties worth around Rs 2,000 crore. Police allege that the company was taken over in an improper way.

The FIR is dated 3 October. It claims the takeover happened through Young Indian, a company in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi together owned 76 percent of the shares.

This police action followed a complaint from the Headquarters Investigative Unit (HIU) of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Role of ED and Money Laundering Probe

The ED shared details from its long investigation into the National Herald money laundering case, which covered the period between 2008 and 2024.

Under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED can ask another agency to register a related offence. That offence then becomes the base case for a larger money laundering investigation.

Now, with the FIR registered by Delhi Police, the ED can move forward with its probe.

Key Allegations Presented by ED in Court

The ED told the Rouse Avenue Court that Young Indian played a central role in illegal activities.

It claimed that “anyone giving donations was given a ticket." It also said, “charitable work never saw the light of the day" and alleged “wrongful loss of the shareholders, Young India has got the wrongful gains."

The agency further stated that only seven shareholders approved the transfer of AJL. It called the “EGM itself a fraud on the face of it."

The ED added that the “Gandhis took fraudulent decision which resulted in wrongful loss to major shareholders of AJL… they shunned out major shareholders."

Donors Say They Acted on Instructions

The ED presented statements from donors who said they gave money due to pressure from senior Congress leaders. Jayantibhai Patel and Jimmy Bhai Patel donated Rs 1 crore on instructions of the late Ahmed Patel. The former said, “The said transaction of Rs 1 crore… was made by my father… for meeting the expenses of Lok Sabha Election… Late Sh. Ahmed Patel… requested him to arrange some funds…"

Another donor, Anil Kumar Gali, who paid Rs 20 lakh in 2022, said, “Sh. Rewant Reddy… instructed me to arrange for some payment… so I had to make payment… to oblige him."

More Leaders Named By ED

The ED claimed that “Young India formed to divert limelight on Congress party" and that it was “nothing more than another face of Congress."

It also named Telangana CM Revanth Reddy and Karnataka CM D.K. Shivakumar.

ED said Revanth Reddy helped arrange “80 lakh worth donations". Shivakumar donated Rs 25 lakh personally and Rs 2 crore through his trust, and he admitted his “lack of knowledge about Young India’s activities."

BJP Attacks Congress Over the Case

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla launched a strong attack on the Congress party.

He said the first family of Congress is the most corrupt. According to him, “It does bhrastachar (corruption), it thinks it is their adhikaar (right), and if there’s any action against them, they start playing the victim card, and thinking that it is atyachaar (opression)."

He also said, “No court case has stopped the National Herald proceedings right now, and Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi have gotten no relief from it. In fact, the case started in 2012-13; it has not been started by any government. This is a classic case of zameen chori."

He added that if Congress has taken something illegally, it must be returned.

Congress Dismisses Allegations

Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi rejected the case and called it politically motivated.

He wrote on X, “#NatHerald neither wine new nor bottle new nor glasses new. Hence my comment also old. One trick wonder of a case where no money moved, where no immovable property transferred yet money laundering invented upon creation of #YoungIndian as a not for profit co to merely hold shares of #AJI which in turn runs and holds brand #NH & continues to hold all property as before &as always. Condition precedent of ML—movement of money & conversion of unaccounted to white money— always absent, yet we have politically malicious proceeding continuing. Ironically, Gandhis & other Cong functionaries as directors of YI cannot get dividends, cannot distribute profits, get not one perk, yet accused of ML!! Current #FIR created by adding few lines re infusion of money by pvt co to enable payment of assignment money by #YI to make #AJI debt free."

Congress continues to describe the entire case as a “political witch-hunt".

How the Case Began

The case started after a private complaint by former BJP MP Subramanian Swamy. In June 2014, a magistrate in Patiala House Court took notice and started legal proceedings.

On 9 April, the ED filed a chargesheet under PMLA in the special court at Rouse Avenue. So far, the court has not taken cognisance of the chargesheet.

Companies and Money Trail Under Scanner

The new FIR names three companies:

• Associated Journals Ltd (AJL)

• Young Indian

• Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd

Dotex is described as a Kolkata-based shell company. It allegedly transferred Rs 1 crore to Young Indian. Out of that, the Gandhis are said to have paid Rs 50 lakh to the Congress.

This payment, investigators claim, helped Young Indian gain control of AJL, which owned properties worth nearly Rs 2,000 crore.

What Happens Next

With Delhi Police now starting its own investigation based on ED’s findings, the case is expected to expand further. Meanwhile, the Congress party continues to deny every allegation and says it has no official information about the new FIR.

This development once again puts the Congress leadership under pressure, while the legal and political battle around the National Herald case continues.