ED Grills Sonia Gandhi in National Herald Case, Congress Holds Nationwide Protests

New Delhi: Congress chief Sonia Gandhi was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday for three hours in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked to the National Herald newspaper. The questioning is over for the day. The 75-year-old Congress leader arrived at the ED headquarters ‘Pravartan Bhawan’ in New Delhi. 

#Congress President #SoniaGandhi arrives at #ED for questioning. pic.twitter.com/8TeivEWq8l

— United News of India (@uniindianews) July 21, 2022

The federal probe agency is investigating the alleged financial irregularities in the Congress-promoted Young Indian Private Limited, which owns the National Herald newspaper. 

During her interrogation, she was accompanied by her son Rahul Gandhi and daughter Priyanka Gandhi. Moments later, Rahul left the ED office while Priyanka was allowed to sit in a separate room with Sonia’s medicine box. 

Also Read: ED Questions Sonia: Congress Protests in Parliament, Oppn Says Misuse of Probe Agencies

According to ED sources, Sonia was asked the same questions which were asked to Rahul during his five-day questioning. 

Anticipating protests, the Delhi Police had tightened the security around Sonia Gandhi’s residence on Akbar Road. Several barricades were put up on the road leading to the residence of the Congress chief. 

Congress party MPs and Congress Working Committee (CWC) members “courted mass arrest” outside the AICC headquarters here in a show of collective solidarity with her. The party units in different states also staged massive demonstrations protesting the questioning of Sonia Gandhi by the ED officials. 

In good company while on police detention at Mukherjee Nagar police station near Kingsway Camp beyond Delhi University! ⁦@SachinPilot⁩ ⁦@INCIndia⁩ pic.twitter.com/sOFE18Srvr

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) July 21, 2022

Delhi went into a gridlock as Congress members staged dharnas and protest rallies in several parts of the national capital. In some places, Delhi police personnel were seen using water cannons to disperse the protesters. A few members staged a dharna at Shivaji Bridge railway station by blocking the railway tracks which led to the disruption of train services on the route. 

Massive #protests in #Delhi and states over #SoniaGandhi's #ED questioning, #Congress workers stop train in Delhi. @INCIndia pic.twitter.com/3unUErKBQw

— United News of India (@uniindianews) July 21, 2022

Also Read: Enforcement Directorate to Question Sonia Gandhi in National Herald Case on July 21

In Bengaluru, Youth Congress members protested against the questioning of Sonia Gandhi by the ED. Angry Congress functionaries set a car on fire. Police took six members into custody for arson.