New Delhi: The Congress leadership Wednesday intensified its attack on the Centre after a Delhi trial court declined to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) prosecution complaint in the National Herald case, with party president Mallikarjun Kharge calling it a “slap on the faces” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
“This case was the outcome of political vendetta. It was mounted to harass the Gandhi family. After this judgment, Modi and Shah should resign. This is a slap on their faces. Truth has prevailed. We welcome the judgment,” Kharge told a press conference.
On Tuesday, a Delhi court declined to take cognisance of the ED’s prosecution complaint, equivalent to a charge sheet, in the National Herald alleged money laundering case naming Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The court cited the absence of action by the CBI in lodging an FIR despite repeated reminders from the ED.
The court also criticised ED’s approach, calling it a unilateral overreach and ill-advised. The ED had got an FIR registered by the Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing on 3 October 2025, and has indicated that it is likely to appeal against the trial court’s order.
The BJP, meanwhile, dismissed the setback as merely procedural, arguing that the court did not comment on the merits of the allegations. However, Congress Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who argued the case, said the ED’s right to appeal did not dilute the setback.
“When you lose, you have the right to appeal but that doesn’t lessen your loss. A judgment is a judgment. You can self-servingly call it technical. But please ask them if violation of the PMLA is technical. Why did they not file an FIR from 2014 to 2021 and what was the meaning of all their opinion that no predicate offence is made out in the case?” Singhvi asked at the press conference.
Flanked by Kharge and Congress general secretary (organisation) K. C. Venugopal, Singhvi pointed out that both the ED and CBI had earlier told the court, in written submissions, that no predicate offence was made out in the case based on a 2014 magistrate order on a complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy. Yet, in 2021, “command comes from the skies”, and an ECIR was registered, he said.
“Heads should be rolled for this, instead you will have appeals. And the fresh FIR in October was filed to keep the pot boiling. This case has always been long on rhetoric, short on legs. Now investigative overreach has met judicial oversight. Courts are not theatres for political scripts. They are temples of due process. This story is a story of political vendetta of harassment,” Singhvi said.
The ED has accused Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, among other Congress leaders, and a private company, Young Indian, of conspiracy and money laundering. It has alleged that properties worth approximately Rs 2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited, which publishes the National Herald newspaper, were illegally acquired.
“It’s an alleged money laundering case without one paisa moving one inch and one property moving one foot. AJL remains the owner. AJL converted a debt to equity. All companies do it by issuing shares. AJL shares were bought by Young Indian, which is a not for profit company,” Singhvi said.
Congress MPs also raised the matter in Parliament, citing it as an instance of the ED’s “misuse” by the ruling BJP.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: National Herald—80-yr journey of paper at centre of ED-Congress row started with freedom battle