National Herald: Delhi High Court refuses to stop AJL from seeking release of properties attached by ED

The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to restrain the Gandhi family-controlled Associated Journals Limited (AJL) from seeking release of their properties attached by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the National Herald Money laundering case. 

Notably, the trial court refused to take cognisance of the money laundering case against the Gandhis, Young Indian, AJL and all the other accused. The ED had attached several properties belonging to Young Indian and AJL, including the Herald House at Delhi’s Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg near ITO. 

The Court was today told that they are now relying on the trial court order to secure release of the properties before the appellate tribunal constituted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). 

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju appeared for the ED and informed the Bench. 

“They are making use of this order to get the properties released,” Raju said. 

However, Justice Sachin Datta replied that it was not passing any interim order at this stage. 

The ASG then requested that the parties may seek an adjournment before the tribunal on the next date of hearing. 

“I am not saying anything,” the Court replied, adding that as of now they are not accused.

Raju made the submission while the Court was hearing the ED's challenge to the trial court order. Raju began his argument in the case and the High Court has now listed the matter for further hearing on November 2.

The National Herald case stems from a private complaint by former Union Minister Subramanian Swamy accusing Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda and Young Indian of cheating, criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of property.

It is the ED's case that the shares of AJL were transferred to Young Indian under a criminal conspiracy to illegally obtain the assets of AJL. According to reports, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi each own 38% of Young Indian.

However, the Gandhis contended that it is a strange and unprecedented case where allegations of money laundering have been made without the use or projection of the property. 

The ED filed a prosecution complaint against the Gandhis as well as Pitroda and others on April 15, 2025. However, the Court declined to take cognisance of the same on December 16.