Timeline Of Events In National Herald Case In Which ED Chargesheeted Sonia, Rahul

A chargesheet was filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Congress Overseas Chief Sam Pitroda in the alleged National Herald money laundering case on Tuesday. The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi is set to decide on cognisance of the chargesheet on April 25.

The ED has pegged the "proceeds of crime" in the money laundering case at Rs 988 crore and the current market value of the linked assets at Rs 5,000 crore.

If the court takes cognisance of the ED chargesheet, it will proceed to issue summons to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and the other accused in the case. Once summoned, the Congress leaders will be obligated to appear before the court to seek bail.

The case stems from a 2014 complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, which alleged a criminal conspiracy involving the Gandhis and other senior Congress leaders. The case pertains to allegations of financial irregularities and misappropriation of funds involving the acquisition of Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which once published the National Herald newspaper.

Swamy alleged that Young Indian took over AJL's assets in a 'malicious manner' to gain control of properties worth over Rs 2,000 crore. He further alleged that Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, the late Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda and others were involved in a criminal conspiracy to fraudulently acquire AJL’s assets — valued at over Rs 2,000 crore — for just Rs 50 lakh.

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Here is a timeline of events:

  • December 2015: Following the complaint,  Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, and Suman Dubey were granted bail by the Patiala House Court.
  • 2016: All five accused were granted an exemption by the Supreme Court from personal appearances, but declined to terminate the proceedings against them.
  • 2018: The Centre terminated the 56-year-old perpetual lease and moved to evict AJL from the Herald House premises, citing that the organisation was no longer engaged in any printing or publishing activity — the stated purpose for which the building was originally allotted in 1962.
  • 2019: The Supreme Court ordered a stay on the proceedings against AJL until further notice.
  • 2021: The ED began its investigation on the basis of a June 2014 order from Delhi's Patiala House court based on Swamy’s complaint.
  • 2023: The ED attached immovable assets located in Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow in November 2023.
  • 2025: Last week, the agency said it had issued notices to take possession of immovable assets worth Rs 661 crore, which had earlier been attached as part of the probe.
  • 2025: A chargesheet is filed on April 9 by ED’s special public prosecutor N K Matta under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), accusing Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others of laundering Rs 988 crore.

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