The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi on Friday refused to issue notice to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and others in the National Herald money laundering case..Special Judge (PC Act) (CBI) Vishal Gogne asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to bring more documents on record and clear the defects. The ED had argued that under the law, cognisance of a prosecution complaint (chargesheet) cannot be taken without hearing the accused and, therefore, notices should be issued to the Gandhis and others. However, Judge Gogne said that the Court must be convinced before issuing such notices. “I cannot pass such an order until satisfied," the judge remarked. .The matter is listed for hearing next on May 2..The National Herald case pertains to the assignment of a ₹90 crore loan advanced by the Congress party to Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) – owner of the National Herald – to Young Indian for a consideration of ₹50 lakh. It has been alleged that there was misappropriation of assets of over ₹2,000 crore in an equity transaction.In his private complaint, former Union Minister Subramanian Swamy had accused Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda and Gandhi family-controlled Young Indian of cheating, criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of property.The ED had filed the prosecution complaint against the Gandhis as well as Congress leader Sam Pitroda and others on April 15 this year.
