New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday (May 2) issued notices to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald money laundering case.
Special judge Vishal Gogne issued the notices to the Congress leaders and posted the matter on May 8.
The judge said that the right of the Congress leaders to be heard was available at the time of cognisance of the chargesheet.
“Right to be heard at any stage breaths life into fair trial,” the judge said, news agency PTI reported.
ED earlier urged court to issue notice to Congress leaders, others
The ED earlier urged the court to issue notice to the Congress leaders and others, arguing that cognisance of the prosecution complaint (chargesheet) cannot be taken without hearing the accused persons as per new provisions of law.
Court earlier refused to issue notices to Congress leaders
The court, however, refused to issue notices to the Congress leaders and others, saying it couldn’t pass such an order issuing notice until satisfied that notice is required. It had also noted that certain documents are missing in the chargesheet and had directed the ED to file those documents.
“There are certain documents missing in the chargesheet as highlighted by the Ahlmad. ED is directed to file those documents. After that the court will decide the issue of notice,” the court had said during the last hearing.
ED filed chargesheet in the money laundering case on April 9
The ED filed the prosecution complaint (chargesheet) in the National Herald money laundering case on April 9 under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) accusing the Congress leaders and others of allegedly laundering Rs 988 crore. It has sought punishment for the accused persons under section 4 of PMLA where jail term can extend up to seven years.
Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi have been named as accused in the case
While former Congress president Sonia Gandhi has been named as an accused no 1 in the case, her son and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has been named as an accused no 2 by the ED. The other accused in the money laundering case named by the ED are – Congress associates Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda, companies Young Indian and Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd and Sunil Bhandari (of Dotex Merchandise).
