BJP's Gaurav Bhatia accused the Gandhi family of Rs 2,000 crore corruption in the National Herald case, calling them the 'most corrupt'. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge hit back, alleging 'political vendetta' by the ruling government.
BJP Accuses Gandhi Family of Corruption
Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia on Wednesday accused the Gandhi family of corruption in the ongoing National Herald case, claiming the family allegedly misappropriated properties worth Rs 2,000 crore. Addressing the press conference, Bhatia said, "Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge recently addressed the media about the National Herald case, which pertains to Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. Before delving into that, it's worth noting the court's ruling delivered yesterday. One must ask whether this decision is genuinely substantive or merely rests on technicalities, considering the Gandhi family's long-standing reliance on deception and political propaganda."
"If there is anyone in politics who is the most corrupt, it is the false Gandhi family. Sonia, Rahul, and Robert Vadra continue to remain free on bail in the 420 case," he said.
He added that despite approaching the court on multiple occasions, including June 12, 2016, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi did not receive any compensation. "These individuals approached the High Court but did not get any indemnity. There is no political malice here; Kharge and Manu Shingvi are lying," Bhatia asserted.
BJP's Legal Arguments
On the legal front, Bhatia noted that the Enforcement of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) deals with money laundering, and the court recently clarified that the matter pertains to a private complaint without any FIR, which is why it is not being actively pursued. He also added that the Education Department can continue its investigation, as it has not been dismissed.
Congress Hits Back, Alleges 'Political Vendetta'
Earlier, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the National Herald case was being pursued with "political vendetta" by the ruling government, asserting that the matter was aimed solely at harassing the Gandhi family.
Addressing the media on the issue, Kharge said there was no basis to the allegations and claimed that no First Information Report (FIR) had been registered in the case."They are doing this for political vendetta. This case is only to trouble the Gandhi family. There is no FIR in this case...Our slogan is 'Satyamev Jayate', and we welcome the judgment in the case," Kharge said.
Delhi Court's Ruling
The Congress chief's remarks come after a Delhi court on Tuesday declined to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate's prosecution complaint in the National Herald money-laundering case, holding that proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) are not maintainable in the absence of an FIR for the scheduled (predicate) offence.
The court stated that the ED's complaint against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, Young Indian, Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd and others was based on a private complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and the summoning order passed on it in 2014, and not on any FIR.
It held that such a complaint cannot substitute the statutory requirement of an FIR under the PMLA framework. (ANI)
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