Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia accused in India money laundering case ANI reports

NEW DELHI – Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia, the most senior members of Indias Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, have been accused in a money laundering case by the countrys financial crimes agency, news agency ANI reported on April 15.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) presented the findings of its investigation in the case, known as a charge sheet, to a New Delhi court.

The ED accused the Gandhis, who have previously denied any wrongdoing in the case, of forming a shell company to illegally take control of property worth US$300 million (S$395 million) that belonged to a firm that published the National Herald newspaper.

The charge sheet also names other members of the main opposition Congress party, ANI said.

The ED did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Filing charge sheets against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and some others is nothing but the politics of vendetta and intimidation by the PM, Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said, in a post on X, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Congress party and its leadership will not be silenced, Mr Ramesh added.

Mr Modis office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Mr Gandhi and Mrs Gandhi were questioned by the ED in 2022 as part of a probe into the case. In November 2023, the agency said it had seized assets worth 7.52 billion rupees (S$120 million) linked to the case, including properties in New Delhi and Mumbai as well as equity investments.

The National Herald newspaper was founded in 1937 by Mr Jawaharlal Nehru, who went on to become Indias first prime minister. Congress has been led for decades by his descendants: Mr Gandhi is Mr Nehrus great-grandson.

On April 15, the ED also questioned Mr Robert Vadra, Mr Gandhis brother-in-law, in an unrelated case