ED Questioned Rahul Gandhi For Over 10 Hours

Summoned again for further questioning1

New Delhi: On Monday, Congress's Rahul Gandhi was questioned for more than ten hours yesterday in an alleged money laundering case connected to the National Herald newspaper. Sources said he has been summoned again today for further questioning.

The ED had summoned Rahul Gandhi and his mother, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, for questioning in alleged money laundering linked to the National Herald newspaper case. The agency filed the money laundering case recently after a trial court took note of a private complaint against Young Indian Pvt Ltd.

The private complainant had mentioned allegations of cheating, conspiracy, and criminal breach of trust in the purported acquisition of the Associated Journals Limited -- which ran the newspaper -- by Young Indian Pvt Ltd.

The Congress has alleged that the questioning is part of the ruling BJP's "vendetta politics".

Mr. Gandhi's questioning started which led to a massive Congress protest.

In Delhi, senior leaders including party MPs marched with Mr. Gandhi from the party office to the offices of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

But the DP had refused permission for the protest march last evening, and started action early this morning, rounding up Congress workers and leaders.

With the High Security at the ED office, the top leaders who accompanied Mr. Gandhi sat in protest outside the barricade after he went in.

Shortly after, many leaders, including P Chidambaram, Adhir Ranjan Chaudhari, KC Venugopal, Deepender Hooda and Jairam Ramesh were detained and ferried to the police station on buses.

Videos emerged of leaders being manhandled. Mr. Venugopal was physically picked up and carried towards a waiting bus. Mr. Chidambaram had a fractured rib after being pushed by Police, said senior leader Randeep Surjewala.

Another Congress leader, Pramod Tiwari, was thrown on the road and he suffered a head injury, Mr. Surjewala added.