The summons from the Enforcement Directorate is linked to a BJP politician’s nine-year complaint against Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul.
India’s anti-financial crime agency wants to question the two most senior members of the Nehru-Gandhi family, who lead the main opposition Congress party, while investigating a money laundering allegation, the party says.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons is linked to a nine-year-old complaint by a lawmaker belonging to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against Congress Speaker Sonia Gandhi and his son RaulCongress said Wednesday.
The lawmaker, Subramanian Swamy, accused the Gandhis of forming a shell company and illegally gaining control of $300 million worth of property.
“A disgusting and cowardly conspiracy is being hatched against the leadership of the Indian National Congress to mislead the country,” the Congress party said in a statement condemning the notice sent to the Gandhis.
“The entire party and all workers will stand shoulder to shoulder with them and we will fight and win this attack on the country’s democracy.”
The Vishwaguru of Vendetta has reached a new low with the issuance of ED notice to Smt.Sonia Gandhi and Shri.Rahul Gandhi today. It is a completely bogus money laundering case being foisted on them with no money flow or laundering. The truth will triumph. We will not be silenced!
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 1, 2022
The assets in question belonged to a company that published the National Herald newspaper, founded in 1937 by India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, the great-grandfather of Rahul Gandhi.
For his part, Swamy welcomed ED’s action and said he hoped the Gandhis would be jailed, adding on Twitter: “From bail to jail ASAP.”
An ED spokesman declined to comment. It was not immediately clear why the agency was acting now.
The Congress party ruled for decades after its founders led India to independence from British colonial rule in 1947. But its fortunes have dwindled hastily as the BJP easily defeated him in the 2014 and 2019 general elections.