New Delhi: A city court on Friday (April 25) refused to issue notice to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others in the National Herald money laundering case for now, saying it couldn’t pass such an order issuing notice until satisfied that notice is required.
Special judge Vishal Gogne was hearing a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
ED urged court to issue notice to Congress leaders, others
The ED, while urging the court to issue notice to the Congress leaders and others, argued that cognisance of the chargesheet (prosecution complaint) cannot be taken without hearing the accused persons as per new provisions of law.
“Don’t want this order to be prolonged. Let notice be issued,” ED counsel told the court.
Cannot pass order until satisfied that notice is required: Court
The judge, however, said that it couldn’t pass such an order until it is satisfied that notice is required and the court has to see if there is any deficiency before it passes it passes any order.
Certain documents are missing in the chargesheet, court noted
The court noted that certain documents are missing in the chargesheet and directed it 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 said, news agency PTI reported.
The ED told the court that it was “very transparent” and “Not hiding anything and “Giving chance to them (accused) to come and give their point before cognisance is taken.”
The court would further hear the matter on May 2.
ED filed chargesheet in the money laundering case on April 9
The ED has filed the chargesheet (prosecution complaint) 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 and has sought punishment for the accused persons under section 4 of PMLA where jail term can extend up to seven years.
While former Congress president Sonia Gandhi has been named accused no 1, her son and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has been named as accused no 2 by the ED. The other accused in the case named by the ED are – Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda, companies Young Indian and Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd and Sunil Bhandari (of Dotex Merchandise).
