New Delhi: A Delhi court’s decision to refuse to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate chargesheet in the National Herald case has triggered a sharp political response from the Congress party, which described the ruling as a clear victory for truth and the rule of law.
Reacting to the court order, the Congress said the decision had completely exposed what it called the ill intentioned and illegal actions of the Modi government. The party stated that the court had found the ED’s action against Congress leaders **Sonia Gandhi** and **Rahul Gandhi** in the Young Indian matter to be illegal and malicious.
According to the Congress, the court clearly ruled that the ED’s case was outside its legal jurisdiction as there was no valid first information report, without which a money laundering case cannot be sustained under the law. The party said this exposed a decade long attempt by the government to target the main opposition party through political vengeance and revenge.
The Congress further said that the court’s observations demolished all allegations levelled in the case. It asserted that there was no case of money laundering, no proceeds of crime and no transfer of assets, and that these claims were baseless and driven by low level politics, malice and an attack on the honour of the party leadership.
In its statement, the Congress said its leadership and organisation remain committed to fighting for the truth and for the rights of every Indian citizen. The party added that no amount of pressure or intimidation would deter it, as it believes it is standing on the side of truth.
Earlier in the day, the Delhi court declined to proceed with the ED chargesheet in the National Herald case, citing procedural lapses, including the absence of a proper FIR linked to the alleged offence. The court clarified that the order does not close the case and that the ED is free to pursue legal remedies, including filing a fresh chargesheet or appealing the decision.
The Enforcement Directorate is expected to challenge the ruling in a higher court, while the political debate surrounding the case is likely to intensify in the coming days.