National Herald case: Congress attempt to revive AJL, Rahul Gandhi’s counsel submits in court

The intention of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) was not to sell the assets of Associated Journals Limited (AJL) but to save this historical institution, Senior advocate RS Cheema, submits in the court on Saturday (July 5, 2025). Advocate Cheema is representing the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who is an accused in the National Herald money laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The case stems from the assignment of a ₹90 crore loan advanced by the Congress party to AJL, the publisher of National Herald Paper, to Young Indian for a consideration of ₹50 lakh. It is alleged that there was misappropriation of assets of over ₹2,000 crore in an equity transaction.

The matter was raised by senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy, who alleged criminal conspiracy by several prominent politicians, including senior Congress leaders and Rajya Sabha MP Sonia Gandhi, Mr. Rahul Gandhi, late Motilal Vohra, late Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and Young Indian PVT Ltd.

Stating that the AJL is associated with the legacy of India’s freedom struggle, counsel for Mr. Gandhi rebutted the charges framed by the ED in the court of special judge Vishal Gogne.

Questioning ED’s attempt of not placing the Memorandum of Association (MoA) of AJL, advocate Cheema said, “AJL was established in 1937 by Jawaharlal Nehru, J. B. Kripalani, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai, and others. The MoA of the AJL clearly says that its policy will be the policy of the INC.”

He added that AJL did not have profits since its formation and it was never a commercial institution in the post-independence period. Stating that the AICC was trying to retrieve an institution which is part of the freedom movement heritage, the counsel for Mr Gandhi asserted that the problem was not recovering the loan (given to AJL) but the problem was to revive it, to see that it comes back on the rails.

“AICC was not looking for profit from sales. This is a squinted version,” he added.

The court is hearing the arguments on framing of charges in the case which started on July 02 when ED’s counsel, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju started his arguments. On July 04, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi spoke on behalf of RS MP, Sonia Gandhi.

(With inputs from PTI)