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Sonia Gandhi, not yet Covid-negative, may not appear before ED tomorrow: Report
The ED has summoned Sonia Gandhi to appear before it on June 8 in connection with a money laundering case linked to the National Herald newspaper-AJL issue. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has also been summoned in the case on June 13.
Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi may not appear before officers of the the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday and has reportedly sought more time from the agency as she is yet to recover from the coronavirus disease.
A PTI report, quoting sources in the party, said Gandhi's latest report is not Covid-negative. Gandhi had tested positive for the virus on June 2 and had since been self-isolating.
The agency had summoned Gandhi to appear before it on June 8 in connection with a money laundering case linked to the National Herald newspaper-AJL issue. Congress MP and her son Rahul Gandhi has also been summoned for questioning in the case on June 13.
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Rahul Gandhi was earlier asked by the agency to depose on June 2 but the Lok Sabha member from Wayanad constituency in Kerala had sought a fresh date as he was out of country. The federal agency later asked him to appear on June 13 at its headquarters in central Delhi.
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The ED case pertains to the probe into the alleged financial irregularities in the party-promoted Young Indian that owns the National Herald newspaper. The paper is published by Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and owned by Young Indian Pvt Limited.
Officials said the agency wants to record the statements of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Also read | Explained: What is National Herald case in which ED summoned Sonia Gandhi, Rahul
The questioning of the senior Congress leaders and the Gandhis is part of the ED's investigation to understand the shareholding pattern, financial transactions and role of the promoters of Young Indian and AJL, officials had said.
The members of the first family of the Congress party, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, are among the promoters and shareholders of Young Indian.
The probe agency had registered a fresh case under the criminal provisions of the PMLA after a trial court here took cognizance of an Income Tax Department probe against Young Indian Pvt Ltd on the basis of a private criminal complaint filed by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy in 2013.
