A Delhi court is set to pronounce on Saturday its order on whether to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate&rsquo;s chargesheet in the National Herald money laundering case, in which several senior Congress leaders stand accused under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The case names Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress Overseas Chief Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey and others as accused.
Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Court had reserved the order on November 7 after the ED provided additional clarifications following the court&rsquo;s scrutiny of the case records. 
&ldquo;Further submissions and clarifications have been advanced by the Additional Solicitor General on behalf of the ED in light of the inspection of the case files by the court. List for orders on November 29,&rdquo; the judge stated.
According to the ED, top Congress functionaries conspired to acquire assets worth over ₹2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), the original publisher of the National Herald, by allegedly paying only ₹50 lakh through Young Indian, a company in which Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi hold a majority stake.
The court had earlier deferred its ruling, noting the need for further examination of transaction documents, alleged rent receipts and fund-flow patterns before determining whether the prosecution complaint met the legal threshold required for cognisance under the PMLA.
The ED has contended that the case involves a &ldquo;serious economic offence&rdquo; and that senior party leaders engaged in a conspiracy to &ldquo;usurp&rdquo; AJL&rsquo;s properties through Young Indian for personal benefit. 
Congress leaders, however, have termed the money laundering charges &ldquo;really strange&rdquo; and &ldquo;unprecedented&rdquo;.
The probe agency has alleged that several senior leaders were linked to &ldquo;fake transactions,&rdquo; including purportedly fabricated advance rent payments supported by fraudulent rent receipts.
The National Herald controversy first came to prominence in 2012 when BJP leader Subramanian Swamy filed a complaint accusing Congress leaders of cheating and breach of trust in the acquisition of AJL.
The court&rsquo;s order is expected to determine the next steps in the long-running legal battle.
&mdash;IANS

Delhi court building amid high-profile case

Court to decide if ED’s chargesheet merits cognisance in high-profile Herald case today

Delhi Court To Rule Today In Herald Case

Court to decide if ED’s chargesheet merits cognisance in high-profile Herald case today

November 29, 2025 | 15:32 IST