DMK launches 45-day campaign in Tamil Nadu ahead of 2026 assembly elections
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Mint
35 minutes ago
- Mint
National Herald case ‘very strange', Sonia Gandhi in Court – ‘worse than having Hamlet without Prince of Denmark'
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, argued that the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) National Herald case is 'truly a strange' one, news agency PTI said. Singhvi began his rebuttal after additional Solicitor General SV Raju for ED on July 3 concluded his arguments on the point of cognisance of the chargesheet filed in the case. "This is truly a strange case. More than strange. Unprecedented. This is an alleged case of money laundering, without any property, without use or projection of property," Singhvi argued. The agency has accused Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, late Congress leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and a private company, Young Indian, of conspiracy and money laundering over the fraudulent takeover of properties valued over ₹ 2,000 crore belonging to the Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which published theNational Herald newspaper. Sonia and Rahul were named as accused number 1 and number 2 in the chargesheet. This was the first time a chargesheet has been filed against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. ED alleges Gandhis held the majority 76 per cent shares in Young Indian, which fraudulently usurped AJL's assets in exchange for a ₹ 90 crore loan. Singhvi, however, submitted that the exercise was undertaken to make AJL debt-free. "Every company is entitled under law and does, every day, make their companies get free by a variety of instruments. So you take away the debt and assign it to another entity. So this company becomes debt free," Singhvi said. He said that Young Indian was a not-for-profit company. "This means it cannot give dividends, perks, salaries, or bonuses. It can give nothing," the senior lawyer argued. Singhvi said the ED did not do anything for several years and instead picked up a private complaint. "They are, obviously people associated with the Congress. To have the National Herald in a body not associated with the Congress would be worse than having Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark," he said. Singhvi continued by mentioning the grounds on which the present court did not have the jurisdiction to try the case. On July 3, Raju argued on the point of chargesheet's cognisance, saying the Gandhis were the "beneficial owners" of Young Indian and acquired its total control after the death of other shareholders. The ED filed its chargesheet against the Gandhis and others under Sections 3 (money laundering) and 4 (punishment for money laundering) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This is truly a strange case. More than strange. Unprecedented. This is an alleged case of money laundering, without any property, without use or projection of property. The chargesheet also names Dudey, Pitroda, Sunil Bhandari, Young Indian, and Dotex Merchandise Private Limited.
India Gazette
35 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Samajwadi Party hits back at UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak over directive to display names during Kanwar Yatra
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 4 (ANI): Samajwadi Party leaders hit back at Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Friday, amid the row over the government's directive to display the names of the shops along the Kanwar yatra routes. Dy CM Pathak had alleged that SP MLA Ravidas Mehrotra compared Kanwar pilgrims to terrorists, to which Mehrotra replied that the Dy CM was lying. 'UP Deputy Chief Minister lies. Nowhere did we say anything about Kanwar Yatris but about the BJP government,' he told ANI. He added, 'He (Brajesh Pathak) is also the Health Minister, but he never speaks about medicines, treatment and check-ups in hospitals. Today, people are dying due to a lack of medicines, treatment and check-ups.' Launching an attack against the BJP government, Mehrotra reiterated his remark 'no difference between the BJP government and terrorists' and said how terrorists in Pahalgam asked people about their religion before shooting them; similarly, the BJP government is also asking about the shopkeepers' religion and caste. 'There's no difference between the BJP government and terrorists. Like how in Pahalgam, terrorists asked about religion and killed 26 people, similarly, by asking about caste and religion, the BJP is attacking, committing atrocities and injustice,' Mehrotra said. MLA Mehrotra added, 'I want to ask BJP members, what is terrorism? If someone is checked after removing their pants, this is also terrorism. If a Dalit is urinated in their mouth, this is also terrorism. Atrocities against Dalits, women, and if the backwards class is not allowed to put up a shop and asked about their religion, this is also terrorism.' He alleged that BJP workers are conducting checks on the Kanwar Yatra route, and they forced a shopkeeper to remove his pants. 'If Kanwar Yatris ask a shopkeeper, I don't object. But the BJP govt issued a Tughlaqi order to put up a name plate, the shopkeeper's caste and then, if the administration and police check, it's still fine, but their party members are conducting checks, and police arrested five people in Muzaffarnagar who were committing acts of terror,' he said. Samajwadi Party leader Awadhesh Prasad called Pathak's statement baseless. Prasad said, 'Dy CM's statement is baseless and shows his narrow mindset. CM Yogi has issued an order to display nameplates. This will divide the society. Such a decision was never issued when we were in power. This is everyone's nation. Everyone fought for the nation's independence together.' Earlier, defending the move, Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, told ANI, 'The Samajwadi Party leaders are constantly making rubbish statements on Kanwar Yatra. They are comparing Kanwar Yatra devotees with the terrorists. It is highly condemnable. Samajwadi Party wants to implement Sharia law and do appeasement politics in UP. We are determined to organise a systematic and safe Kanwar Yatra in UP. It is the right of every buyer to know from whom they are buying things. Every seller must display their name.' (ANI)
India Gazette
36 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Kerala: BJP stages protest march to Health Minister's house over woman's death at Kottayam Medical College
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], July 4 (ANI): Kerala Police used water cannons to disperse BJP workers who staged a protest march on Friday against State Health Minister Veena George following the building collapse at Kottayam Medical College, in which one person was killed and several others sustained injuries. The protest began in response to an incident where a building block at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kottayam district collapsed. Tensions escalated when BJP workers breached barricades set up by the police. In response, police used water cannons to control the crowd and prevent them from reaching the minister's residence. Earlier in the day, workers from the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) also staged a protest in front of Kottayam Medical College. They are demanding the resignation of Kerala Health Minister Veena George. Meanwhile, Minister for Ports, Cooperation, and Devaswoms, VN Vasavan, described the Kottayam Medical College building collapse as an 'unfortunate' incident and announced that the Kerala government will provide immediate financial assistance of Rs 50,000 to the affected family. He said, 'CM visited the spot yesterday itself. Rs 50,000 will be given as immediate help to the family. The State Cabinet will discuss and decide on financial help to the family. Kottayam Medical College is one of the best-performing hospitals in India. The incident is unfortunate.'He further clarified that there was no lapse from the government side and added, 'Did not ask to stop rescue operation, it was for making way to let the Hitachi excavator enter. Rescue was only possible with the help of a machine.' 'The health minister said yesterday that nobody was stuck there because the hospital superintendent told the minister that the building was not in use,' he further said. Shifting the blame on the previous government of the United Democratic Front (UDF), he said, 'In 2013, the PWD (Public Works Department) submitted a report about the condition of the building. Then the UDF government did not act on it.' (ANI)
