21 hours and counting: Day 3 of ED questioning of Rahul Gandhi
In the last couple of days, the former Congress party president has already been questioned for a total of 21 hours.
FollowCongress leader Rahul Gandhi will once again appear before the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday in connection with its National Herald money-laundering probe. In the last couple of days, the former Congress party president has already been questioned for a total of 21 hours.
Prohibitory orders continue to remain in force around the Congress party headquarters in the national capital's Akbar Road locality. The Delhi Police has put up heavy barricades and deployed additional personnel to guard the area.
Also Read:Â National Herald Case Explained: Why are Gandhis under scanner?
Let's recall the latest that we know so far:
* The 51-year-old was quizzed for over 11 hours on Tuesday and for 10 hours on Monday. On Tuesday, he arrived at the ED headquarters at APJ Abdul Kalam Road in central Delhi along with his sister and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.Â
* After four hours, at around 3:30 pm, the Wayanad MP took a break for about an hour and went home. He was back at the agency office at around 4:30 pm.
* Before he exited the ED office, agency officials recorded his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The agency told him to return for another round of questioning on Wednesday.
* While agency sources informed that Rahul recorded his statement and checked its transcript minutely, Congress leaders claimed that the investigators took multiple breaks during his questioning on Monday.
* The investigating officer of the case, an assistant director-rank ED officer, is expected to continue the questioning related to the incorporation of the Young Indian company, the loan given by the Congress to AJL, the operations of the National Herald newspaper and the fund transfer within the news media establishment.
* This is the first time that any member of the Gandhi family is being questioned in a criminal case. Priyanka Gandhi's husband Robert Vadra was questioned by the ED in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged land scam in Rajasthan a few years ago. Rahul's mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who is currently hospitalised due to Covid-related issues, has also been summoned by the agency for questioning in the case on June 23.
Also Read:Â Rahul Gandhi was tutored; evasive on some questions: Sources
* The Congress claims that the AJL, which was established in 1937, faced huge debts and the Congress, from 2002 to 2011, gave Rs 90 crore to the National Herald newspaper to pay the salaries of the journalists and staffers who worked there. Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said that during his questioning in April in connection with the same probe, he gave evidence with regard to the share-holding pattern, financial transactions and role of the promoters of Young Indian and AJL.
With PTI inputs
