National Herald case: ED questions senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge

New Delhi, Apr 11: The Enforcement Directorate is questioning senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge in money laundering probe linked to National Herald case.

The 79-year-old Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha was summoned to appear before the federal agency with regard to the probe.

His statement will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as the agency wants to understand some issues in the investigation.

What is National Heald case?

In 2012, BJP leader and advocate Subramanian Swamy filed had accused the Gandhis and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by paying only Rs 50 lakh, through which Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YI) obtained the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore that Associate Journals Ltd, owner of National Herald, owed to the Congress. He alleged that YIL had 'taken over' the assets of the National Herald in a 'malicious' way.

All the seven accused - the Gandhis, AICC treasurer Motilal Vora, AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda and YI - had denied the allegations.

Proceedings against Vora abated subsequent to his death, while the others were summoned by the trial court in 2014 for the alleged offences of misappropriation of property, criminal breach of trust and cheating, read with criminal conspiracy of the Indian Penal Code.