ED grills Rahul for 9 hrs in PMLA case
Congress leader asked to appear before the probe agency again on Tuesday
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was on Monday questioned for around nine hours by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a case under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), as the opposition party held protests across the country, accusing the Centre of targeting its leaders by misusing agencies.
Gandhi, who appeared before the central probe agency for the first time for questioning, left the ED office at 9.40 pm, having arrived at 11.10 am, accompanied by a battery of leaders including sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and escorted by armed CRPF personnel, and leaving for an 80-minute break in the afternoon.
Gandhi has been summoned by the ED for questioning again on Tuesday since “a few questions were not covered”, sources said.
Hundreds of Congress workers in Delhi and state capitals took to the streets and several senior leaders, including Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel were detained amid a massive show of strength by the party which had called for ‘Satyagraha march’ against the ED summons.
The opposition party alleged that some of its leaders were manhandled by the police and lashed out at the government for “not allowing”’ peaceful protests. The BJP hit back, accusing Congress leaders of putting pressure on the ED, supporting corruption and protecting alleged assets worth Rs 2,000 crore of the Gandhi family.
Gandhi, 51, went from the party headquarters in Akbar Road to the ED office in central Delhi in a convoy around 11.10 am after walking for some distance. After about two-and-a-half hours, he left the ED office for a lunch break and returned at 3.30 pm.
AAP leader and Delhi’s Health Minister Satyendar Jain has been sent to 14-day judicial custody in a money laundering case by Rouse Avenue court.
Jain was arrested in a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate last month. He was arrested in a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate last month.
The investigation has been underway since 2017 and the Minister was arrested on May 30.
Notably, during the search conducted on June 7, the ED has said it seized various incriminating documents and digital records.
The ED said that the total movable assets were seized from an “unexplained source” and were “found to be secreted” in the raided premises.
More than Rs 2 crore in cash and gold weighing 1.8 kg were seized by the ED after raids against Jain and those linked to him, in a money laundering case. The ED has submitted that Jain was not cooperating in the interrogation.
On the other hand, senior advocates Kapil Sibal and N Hariharan opposed the extension of the remand saying that the recoveries are not connected with Jain.
“ED has not asked any question about the gold and jewellery in the last two days,” they submitted.
Earlier, he was sent to ED custody from May 31 till June 9. He was arrested in a money laundering case connected with Disproportionate Asset (DA) case registered by CBI.
More than Rs 2 cr in cash and gold weighing 1.8 kg were seized by the ED after raids against Jain and those linked to him, in the PMLA case