Stir continues as Rahul faces ED questions again
NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for the second consecutive day in connection with its money laundering probe linked to the National Herald newspaper, even as Congress leaders staged a sit-in at the party headquarters here after police once again denied them permission for a march.
Heavy police deployments were seen on the route from Gandhi’s residence to the ED office. Senior leaders, including K C Venugopal, Randeep Singh Surjewala and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, were detained by Delhi Police as they attempted to march to the ED office where Gandhi was questioned for around 10 hours.
The Congress leader has been asked to join the probe on Wednesday as well, people familiar with the matter said.
Rahul Gandhi reached ED office at around 11.30 am on Tuesday, accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. The Wayanad MP was also questioned by the central agency for nearly 10 hours on Monday.
An assistant director rank officer of ED recorded Rahul’s statement under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the people cited above said. To protest against the questioning, Congress workers observed a sit-in protest at the party headquarters on Akbar Road as police denied them permission for a public march.
All approach roads leading to the ED office were out of bounds for public as barricades were put up and central anti-riot police force RAF and CRPF personnel were deployed, who detained hundreds of Congress leaders and supporters outside the party headquarters.
Congress leader and advocate Abhishek Singhvi criticised the agency’s third summon to Rahul. “...you have questioned this man for 20 hours already and again calling him tomorrow (Wednesday)... Is this anything but harassment?” he told news channel NDTV. Earlier in the day, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram slammed the BJP while questioning the existence of FIR in the matter and ED’S jurisdiction. “Will the learned spokespersons of the BJP please answer the following questions: 1. Which is the ‘scheduled offence’ under PMLA that has triggered an investigation by ED? 2. Which police agency has registered an FIR in respect of the scheduled offence? 3. Where is the FIR? Will you please show us a copy of the FIR?...,” he tweeted.
The BJP hit out at the opposition party for blocking roads to show its “leaders are above the law”. “When lawful action is taking place in a case of corruption, Congress is doing this drama...it shows the party considers its leaders above law,” BJP’S national spokesperson Sambit Patra said.