National Herald case: Rahul Gandhi summoned by ED for 4th time on Friday | Highlights

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi left the ED office after nearly eight hours of questioning. He has been asked to appear before the Enforcement Directorate again on Friday.  

(With inputs from Atul Bhatiya)

National Herald case: The Enforcement Directorate has asked Rahul Gandhi to appear before it on Friday. There will be no questioning in the case on Thursday. 

Around 800 senior Congress leaders and workers have been detained since Monday for protesting the questioning of Rahul Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate in violation of prohibitory orders and despite being denied permission, officials said. 

Congress leaders and workers were also detained on Wednesday after they staged protests outside the ED office and the party headquarters here.
Gandhi appeared before the ED on Wednesday for the third consecutive day of questioning in the National Herald money laundering case.

(with inputs from PTI)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Wednesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate on the third straight day of questioning in the National Herald money laundering case and was quizzed for over three hours in the pre-lunch session. Gandhi, 51, left the ED office on APJ Abdul Kalam Road around 3 pm for what is understood to be a lunch break and he is expected to join the investigation back soon. He had reached the agency's office in central Delhi around 11:35 am.

National Herald case: Congress leader Sachin Pilot has been detained by police amid protests by party workers over the questioning of Rahul Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate. 

Accusing the Congress of resorting to violent protests to "hide" its corruption, the BJP on Wednesday said the opposition party's stir shows its progressive decline and claimed that covering up the Gandhi family's alleged graft is the "true satya" of its "satyagraha".

BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi invoked Mahatma Gandhi's decision to call off the Congress' non-cooperation movement due to violence and said the party's "violent protests" now for opposing the probe in a case of corruption shows how small the party has become.

Addressing a press conference, Trivedi noted that Rahul Gandhi, who is being questioned by the ED in the National Herald case, is neither his party's president nor the leader of the opposition as he questioned the Congress' show of strength for him.

Maharashtra Congress leader Sheikh Hussain has been booked for making derogatory comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during Congress' protest in Nagpur, over the summons sent to Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald money laundering case.

"In an act of absolute goondaism perpetuated by Delhi police at stance of govt, they entered Congress office and beat up workers. This is criminal trespass. Their goondaism has reached its zenith. This won't be tolerated and will be accounted for," says Congress leader, Randeep Singh Surjewala

"We demand an FIR be lodged, they be suspended and disciplinary inquiry be initiated. Today all Congress leaders will hold press conferences. Tomorrow Congress will gherao all Raj Bhavans across India. Protests will also be held at all District levels day after tomorrow," says Surjewala 

• Today is the 3rd day of the demonstration, police made proper arrangements; we've detained around 150 people. Congress had not taken any permission for gathering today; their office bearers know about the area in which Sec 144 is imposed
• We had communicated to Congress in writing last night that no gathering should be conducted around the ED office & on Akbar Road with Sec 144 imposed. When some workers didn't agree to our appeal today also, we detained them. In 2.5 days, around 800 people were detained
• Congress's senior functionaries, CMs, former CMs, former cabinet ministers & MPs are always facilitated, as per the list they provided. Even when they didn't properly coordinate today, we facilitated their senior functionaries

New Delhi: Congress workers and leaders protest outside the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office over its probe against Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, Wednesday, June 15, 2022.

DPCC President Anil Chaudhary detained during Congress protest

DPCC President Anil Chaudhary leads Congress protest

New Delhi: Police detain women Congress workers during a protest outside the AICC office 

Vehicular movement was affected in central Delhi on Wednesday after the police blocked several roads and diverted traffic as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appeared before the Enforcement Directorate for the third consecutive day of questioning in a money laundering probe, officials said. The police diverted traffic on roads which had been closed and adequate security arrangements were also put in place, they said.

A senior police officer said around 400 traffic personnel were deputed in the New Delhi district.

• We cannot bring our own staff to the AICC office now. Office bearers cannot come to Office. We were told that only two CMs can come here and no one else has permission. This kind of situation never rose where members of political parties cannot enter the office. Why is this happening?
• It is because one person is raising his voice against the wrongdoings of the Centre for the last 8 years. The person is Rahul Gandhi. Be it GST, demonetisation, COVID, mismanagement, lockdown, unemployment, inflation, or the security of borders, Rahul Gandhi has been raising his voice against every important issue
• They want to suppress Rahul Gandhi. They are misusing the central agencies against Opposition leaders in order to suppress them. Now they are trying to use these tactics against Rahul Gandhi

A meeting of Congress leaders, including KC Venugopal, Bhupesh Baghel, Randeep Surjewala and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is underway at Congress Headquarters over the issue of Police's entry into the HQ.

New Delhi: Police detain Congress workers, including Ragini Nayak, during a protest outside the AICC office against the summoning of party leader Rahul Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the National Herald case, Wednesday, June 15, 2022.

Police detain Congress leader Ragini Nayak during a protest outside the AICC office

Police detain Congress workers during a protest outside the AICC office

Protest by Congress outside ED office has turned violent as party workers and leaders were seen burning tyres and clashing with the police. 

New Delhi: Security personnel stand guard as women Congress workers stage a protest outside the AICC office against the summoning of party leader Rahul Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the National Herald case, Wednesday, June 15, 2022.

Heavy security outside the AICC office in Delhi

New Delhi: Congress workers and leaders continue to protest against the summoning of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by ED in relation to the National Herald case, Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Police detain women Congress workers during a protest 

Sewa Dal members shout slogans during a protest against the summoning of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by ED

Sewa Dal members shout slogans during a protest against the summoning of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by ED

Police detain women Congress workers during a protest 

New Delhi: Senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel and others at a press conference at AICC headquarters, in New Delhi, Wednesday, June 15, 2022. 

Top Congress leaders gather for a press conference at the party office

Top Congress leaders during a press briefing 

Rahul Gandhi has reached the ED office, questioning in the National Herald money laundering case will begin shortly.

As Rahul Gandhi left for the ED office, Congress workers and leaders continued their protest against the summons to Gandhi. Heavy police security has been deployed outside the ED office. 

Rahul Gandhi has left for the ED office amid tight security.

He is accompanied by sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Reports Sanjay Shah

Rahul Gandhi is holding a meeting with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Randeep Singh Surjewala. 

Reports Sanjay Shah

Rahul Gandhi will not visit the Congress headquarters today, will directly reach the ED office. 

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will accompany Rahul to the ED office.

Reports Sanjay Shah

"We can't bring our own staff to the AICC office now; we were told that only two CMs can come here and no one else has the permission... unhone Rahul Gandhi ke muh mei haath daalne ki koshish ki hai, unko bahut mehengi padegi," says Chhattisgarh CM & Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel

The Delhi Police on Tuesday detained 217 Congress workers and leaders, including 15 MPs, from the New Delhi district for protesting the questioning of Rahul Gandhi by the ED, in violation of prohibitory orders and despite being denied permission. They were later released.

Among the leaders detained were Randeep Surjewala, Jairam Ramesh, Gaurav Gogoi, Deepender Singh Hooda, Ranjeet Ranjan, Jeby Mather, Imran Pratapgarhi, Youth Congress chief B V Srinivas and NSUI chief Neeraj Kundan.

The grand old party has called the agency action vendetta politics by the Centre against the opposition. Despite not being granted permission by the Delhi Police, Congress supporters and leaders held protests even on Tuesday, resulting in the detention of several party leaders and workers. 

Agency sources had said on Monday that Gandhi checked the transcript of his statement minutely before submission.

Congress leaders claimed that the investigators took multiple breaks during his questioning.

The probe pertains to alleged financial irregularities in Young Indian Private Limited, promoted by the Congress, that owns National Herald. The newspaper is published by Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and owned by Young Indian.

Gandhi's mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who is currently admitted to a hospital here due to Covid-related issues, has also been summoned

Rahul Gandhi will reappear before the ED today for the fifth round of questioning in National Herald money laundering case