Courtroom Clash: ED vs Congress in AJL Loan Row

The Rouse Avenue court was the scene of high-profile arguments on Monday, as legal representatives for Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and the entity Young Indian squared off against the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The ED has filed a charge sheet alleging misuse of funds in a Rs 90 crore loan from the All India Congress Committee (AICC) to National Herald publisher AJL.

In defense of the accused, Senior Advocate Sushil Bajaj challenged the allegations, asserting that the loan aimed to revive AJL's newspaper operations and was interest-free. He contended there were no proceeds of crime or illegal activities connected to Dubey's role, who served as a director for Young Indian.

The court, presided over by Special Judge Vishal Gogne, adjourned the session for further arguments regarding Dotex—another firm implicated in the financial dealings. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju is set to provide rebuttal submissions. The legal battle centers on whether the transaction constitutes a breach of donor trust or misuse of political funds.

(With inputs from agencies.)