Hours after a fresh FIR named Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, Congress accused the government of political vendetta and institutional harassment.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, 30 November 2025 — The political battle over the National Herald case reignited sharply on Sunday after the Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) registered a fresh FIR naming Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and several senior party-linked officials. Within hours, the Congress launched a fierce counteroffensive, framing the development as “state-sponsored intimidation” and “a malicious act of political vendetta.”
The FIR — filed on the basis of a complaint forwarded by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) — invokes charges including criminal conspiracy, cheating, breach of trust and dishonest misappropriation. It supplements the ongoing ED money-laundering probe that has been under way for years in the Delhi courts.
Expanded FIR: Fresh Charges, Old Allegations
According to officials, the new FIR ropes in top Congress leaders, functionaries of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), and corporate entities linked to Young Indian (YI).
Investigators allege:
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Congress converted loans given to AJL into equity
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Shares were subsequently transferred to Young Indian
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Interests of AJL’s earlier shareholders were diluted
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Funds allegedly moved to “suspicious entities”
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The restructuring enabled “layering of assets” to facilitate money laundering
The ED maintains that AJL’s property portfolio — valued at more than ₹2,000 crore — was effectively acquired for only ₹50 lakh through Young Indian, where Sonia and Rahul Gandhi jointly hold a majority stake.
The EOW FIR treats the alleged corporate restructuring as the predicate offence enabling money-laundering activities under the ED’s investigation.
The Modi-Shah duo is continuing with its mischievous politics of harassment, intimidation, and vendetta against the top leadership of the INC. Those who threaten are themselves insecure and afraid.
The National Herald matter is a completely bogus case. Justice will ultimately…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) November 30, 2025
READ: Fresh FIR Names Sonia Gandhi, Rahul in National Herald Case
Congress Erupts: “Pure Political Vendetta”
The opposition party responded with some of its strongest attacks yet, accusing the government of “weaponising institutions” to target political opponents.
Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said:
“This is mischievous politics of harassment, intimidation and vendetta by the Modi-Shah duo. The case is fabricated. Those who threaten are insecure. Justice will prevail.”
He alleged that the FIR was timed to divert attention from unemployment, inflation and governance failures.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi dismissed the FIR as a recycled political stunt:
“No money moved, no immovable property changed hands. Yet money laundering is alleged!
Young Indian is a not-for-profit. The Gandhis cannot take dividends or profit. How is this criminal conspiracy?”
Calling the case “malice masquerading as law,” Singhvi said the FIR merely repeats old allegations with “a few new lines added.”
Veteran Congress MP Pramod Tiwari drew a historical parallel:
“This government is behaving like the British rulers. We never bowed down then, and we will not bow now. The Gandhis fought for India’s freedom; today we fight for democracy.”
Maharashtra Congress leader Sachin Sawant accused the BJP of using agencies to “criminalise dissent.”
“Institutions are being twisted to destroy the Opposition. This is authoritarianism in the making.”
Organisation general secretary KC Venugopal alleged that the government deploys agencies whenever political pressure mounts:
“This FIR is a desperate diversion from unemployment and economic crisis. No corruption exists here — only vendetta.”
Congress media chief Pawan Khera defended the Gandhis’ involvement in the National Herald:
“If they sought profit, they wouldn’t revive a loss-making newspaper. The FIR insults the legacy of the freedom movement.”
Supriya Shrinate said:
“The target is not only the Gandhis — the target is dissent itself.”
Youth Congress chief B.V. Srinivas asserted:
“This FIR reflects BJP’s fear. The Gandhis inspire millions, and that’s why they are targeted.”
The party’s official social media statement read:
“ED, CBI, EOW — all weaponised against those who refuse to bow.”
The EOW is expected to issue summons to all named individuals in the coming weeks. The ED’s money-laundering case continues in a Delhi court, where the agency is preparing its next round of submissions. Congress, meanwhile, is gearing up for a nationwide political campaign accusing the government of “democratic backsliding” and “institutional capture.”
The fresh FIR sets up another legal and political flashpoint in the long-running National Herald controversy — and signals an escalation in the confrontation between the BJP-led government and the Congress leadership ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
