Sonia Gandhi Still COVID Positive, Won't Appear Before ED Tomorrow: Reports

The ED has also summoned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in connection with the case on 13 June.

Sonia Gandhi.

(Photo: Facebook/Rajiv Gandhi Foundation)

Congress Party chief Sonia Gandhi has sought more time to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as she is still recovering from COVID-19, multiple reports said on Tuesday, 7 June. She had been asked to appear before the central agency on 8 June in connection with a money laundering case.

Gandhi had tested positive for the infection on 2 June, and her latest test report was not negative, PTI reported party sources as saying.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also been summoned in connection with the National Herald money laundering case on 13 June.

The Wayanad MP had been summoned on 2 June, but he asked for fresh dates as he was not in the country at the time.

The Case

Earlier, Gandhi had said that she would appear before the ED on the designated date if she recovered from COVID-19.

The ED had said that it wanted to record the statements of Rahul and Sonia Gandhi under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The ED had filed a fresh case into the matter under the PMLA's criminal provisions after a court took notice of a probe conducted by the Income Tax Department against Young India Pvt Ltd, which owns National Herald, after BJP MP Subramanian Swamy filed a criminal complaint in connection with the matter.

Swamy had alleged that Sonia and Rahul Gandhi had conspired to misappropriate funds, as Young Indian had paid only Rs 50 lakh to obtain the right to recover around Rs 90 crore which was owed to the Congress by Associate Journals Ltd.

(With inputs from the PTI.)