ED attaches Rs 752cr assets in National Herald case

INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday said it has attached assets worth Rs 751.9 crore in connection with a money
laundering probe against the National Herald newspaper, owned by Congress-linked Young India Limited.A provisional order has been issued
under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against the newspaper's publisher Associated Journals Ltd.(AJL) and its holding company
Young India, the central probe agency said in a statement."Investigation revealed that AJL is in possession of proceeds of crime in the form
of immovable properties spread across Delhi, Mumbai and Lucknow to the tune of Rs 661.69 crore and Young India (YI) is in possession of
proceeds of crime to the tune of Rs 90.21 crore in the form of investment in equity shares of AJL," the ED added
The agency had questioned and recorded the statements of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun
Kharge in this case.Deceit, lies and falsehood: CongressReacting to the seizure of AJL assets by the ED, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi
said the development reflects "their desperation to divert attention from certain defeat in the ongoing elections in each state"."This is a
prefabricated structure of deceit, lies and falsehood, of by and for the BJP, to divert, distract and digress in the middle of elections,"
he said, adding: "No BJP coalition partner - CBI, ED or IT - can prevent certain impending defeat of the BJP.""An assignment of loan without
transfer of any immovable property or movement of money is being dressed up to justify attachment and freezing of assets of a company which
runs an iconic voice of the Indian Independence movement the National Herald - only because it is linked to the Congress and its
legacy.These petty vendetta tactics shall not frighten the Indian National Congress in any way," said Singhvi.(With inputs from agencies)