Sat Apr 12 10:48:07 UTC 2025: ## ED Takes Control of Rs 661 Crore in Assets Linked to Congress-Associated Herald Case
**New Delhi** – The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken formal possession of immovable assets worth Rs 661 crore linked to the ongoing money laundering investigation against Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the publisher of the National Herald newspaper. Notices were served Friday at key properties in Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow, the agency announced Saturday.
The action, taken under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), follows the confirmation of a provisional attachment order issued in November 2023. The ED’s investigation, launched in 2021 based on a 2014 court order stemming from a complaint by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, alleges a criminal conspiracy involving prominent Congress leaders, including Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, related to the alleged fraudulent takeover of AJL properties.
The ED alleges the generation and use of proceeds of crime totaling Rs 988 crore. The attached assets include the Herald House in Delhi, properties in Mumbai’s Bandra area, and an AJL building in Lucknow. The agency also seized AJL shares valued at Rs 90.2 crore. The Congress leaders are majority shareholders in Young Indian Private Limited, which owns the National Herald. The investigation continues.
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