Congress Slams Modi Government Over New FIR in National Herald Case: A Political Vendetta?

Congress Responds to New Developments in National Herald Case

New Delhi: The Congress party has criticized the Modi administration following the recent filing of a new FIR in the National Herald case, asserting that the judiciary will recognize this as a "political vendetta and baseless harassment."

Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress president, pointed out that after 12 years, a new FIR has emerged targeting the Gandhi family and the Congress party.

"This is merely a result of the Modi government and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) running out of fresh accusations. When the facts became scarce, they resorted to theatrics: selective prosecutions, recycled claims, and a transparent effort to keep their opponents under scrutiny," Kharge expressed on X.

"We trust that the judiciary will see through this political vendetta and senseless harassment!" he added.

On Monday, Congress also condemned the FIR, labeling it as "harassment" by the ED and a strategy by the Modi government to distract the public from pressing issues.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi remarked that the ED and the BJP government should receive a "Nobel Prize for fabricating a crime where none exists."

He characterized the action as a diversion from significant national challenges, including a "deteriorating" economy, rising unemployment, and a "failed" foreign policy.

The opposition's criticism follows the Delhi Police's filing of an FIR against former Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, along with others, based on a complaint from the ED as part of its money laundering investigation into this high-profile case, which alleges that the Gandhi family misused their positions for personal benefit.

According to official sources, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police lodged a complaint against the Gandhis and seven others on October 3.

The FIR includes charges under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property), 406 (criminal breach of trust), and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code, naming the Gandhis, Congress figures Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda, as well as organizations like Young Indian (YI) and Dotex Merchandise Ltd, among others.

These entities are also mentioned as accused in the ED's chargesheet submitted to a Delhi court in April, which has yet to take cognizance, with the next hearing scheduled for December 16.

Sources indicate that the ED utilized its powers under section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to facilitate the registration of the police FIR.

This provision allows the federal agency to provide evidence for the registration of a criminal predicate offense by a law enforcement agency, enabling it to pursue a money laundering case as part of the investigation.