New Delhi, Dec 17 (IANS) Congress leaders on Wednesday staged a protest within the Parliament House complex against the Centre after a Delhi court granted relief to senior party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. The demonstration followed the court’s decision to refuse to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate’s money laundering charges in the case.

Terming the court’s order a vindication of their stand, Congress MPs said the ruling reaffirmed that truth had ultimately prevailed. They accused the Central government of misusing investigative agencies, particularly the Enforcement Directorate, to target opposition leaders for political reasons.

Carrying placards and a banner reading “Satyamev Jayate, Truth Prevails”, the protesting MPs gathered near the steps of the Makar Dwar inside the Parliament premises. They raised slogans against the Narendra Modi-led government and demanded an apology from the Centre, alleging that the case was driven by political vendetta rather than legal merit.

Several senior leaders participated in the protest, including Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik, and party MPs Shashi Tharoor, Tariq Anwar, Kumari Selja, K. Suresh and Manickam Tagore, among others.

The MPs maintained that the latest court order exposed what they described as the government’s attempt to harass opposition leaders through central agencies. They reiterated that the Congress leadership had faith in the judiciary and would continue to challenge what it views as the misuse of power by the ruling dispensation.

On Tuesday, in a major relief to Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, a Delhi court refused to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) prosecution complaint in the alleged National Herald money laundering case.

Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Court held that the complaint filed by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) was not maintainable.

Apart from Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, the federal anti-money laundering agency had arrayed Congress Overseas chief Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, Sunil Bhandari, Young Indian and Dotex Merchandise Private Limited and as proposed accused in the case.

While refusing to take cognisance of the prosecution complaint, the court clarified that the ED is at liberty to continue its investigation in accordance with the law.

The high-profile case pertains to allegations that top Congress functionaries conspired to wrongfully acquire control of assets exceeding Rs 2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), the original publisher of the National Herald newspaper, by paying a nominal amount of Rs 50 lakh through Young Indian — a company in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are majority stakeholders.

Congress leaders on Wednesday welcomed a Delhi court’s dismissal of the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) money laundering complaint against Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in the National Herald case, calling the probe politically motivated. A special press briefing was held in New Delhi with party president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leaders Abhishek Manu Singhvi and K.C. Venugopal in attendance.

–IANS

jk/dpb