Rouse Avenue Court Advances National Herald Money Laundering Case: Key Developments

The National Herald money laundering case has been a focal point for the Rouse Avenue court, which reviewed proceedings on Tuesday. The court has slated the case for additional scrutiny and has instructed the investigation officer to present with the relevant case file by September 26. This step precedes a potential ruling regarding the cognizance of the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) prosecution complaint against prominent Congress figures, including Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.

Special Judge Vishal Gogne presided over the hearing, examining succinct arguments from senior counsel representing Dotex Merchandise Private Limited. Written submissions from the accused, Suman Dubey, were submitted, while special public prosecutor N K Matta appeared personally. The session followed an earlier date where the ED had presented the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) and a complaint from BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, initially lodged in 2014.

In his submission, Senior Counsel Pramod Kumar Dubey underscored the absence of his client's name in either Swamy's complaint or the ECIR. The court is yet to issue an order on the prosecution complaint summoning after the ED, represented by Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, reviewed existing and forthcoming documents, laying the groundwork for future legal determinations.

(With inputs from agencies.)