Four senior Congress leaders get ED notice in National Herald case
Shabbir Ali, Geeta Reddy, Anjan Kumar Yadav, Sudarshan Reddy allegedly transferred money to bank accounts of NH-linked companies
HYDERABAD: The Enforcement Directorate on Friday issued notices to four veteran Congress leaders and former ministers — Md Ali Shabbir, Dr J. Geeta Reddy and P. Sudarshan Reddy besides former Secunderabad MP M. Anjan Kumar Yadav — in the National Herald case.
The leaders were summoned to appear before the agency as part of the investigation into alleged money laundering by the Congress big wigs. The ED already questioned party top leaders Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi.
Sources told Deccan Chronicle that all the four Congress leaders from the Telugu states were found to have transferred a few lakhs of rupees into the accounts of Young Indian.
Dr Geetha Reddy, sources said, donated Rs 25 lakh towards party fund while Anjan Kumar Yadav deposited Rs 20 lakh. The amount donated by the other two former ministers was not known.
When contacted, Dr Geetha Reddy said she did not receive any notice so far but would appear before the ED as and when required.
“There is nothing to hide. I gave the donation to party early this year as it is in need of funds to manage party affairs and the money I donated is fully accounted for,” Dr Geeta Reddy pointed out.
She was appreciated by other party leaders and workers for trying to pay back to the party when it was in need.
Former Secunderbad MP Anjan Kumar Goud said Modi-led Central government had been pursuing vindictive politics and notices were part of it. “As an individual, I did not commit any wrong. Whatever the amount I donated to party was in the form of a cheque and I will clarify the same to the ED,” he said.
The Congress-owned National Herald newspaper is published by Associated Journals Ltd. (AJL). Young Indian is its holding company. The newspaper office is registered in the name of AJL.
The Congress has said it gave a Rs 90 crore loan to AJL. In 2011, the shares of AJL were allotted to Young Indian among whose promoters are the Gandhis. This debt was converted into equity and the loan was extinguished in the books of the AJL. The ED claims these transactions attract money laundering charges.