New Delhi, Dec 22: The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notices to Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and other accused in response to a criminal revision petition filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the National Herald money laundering case.

A single-judge Bench led by Justice Ravinder Dudeja heard the ED’s submissions and sought replies from the Gandhis, issuing notice on both the main petition and the accompanying application seeking a stay. The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on March 12, 2026.

The ED has approached the High Court challenging an order of the Rouse Avenue Court, which had declined to take cognisance of its prosecution complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). In its earlier ruling, Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne held that the ED’s complaint was not legally maintainable.

While granting relief to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, the trial court had clarified that the agency was free to continue its investigation in accordance with law.

Besides the Gandhis, the ED has named Congress Overseas chief Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, Sunil Bhandari, Young Indian, and Dotex Merchandise Private Limited as proposed accused.

Appearing for the ED, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that allowing the trial court’s order to stand would undermine the PMLA itself. He submitted that the interpretation adopted by the lower court would make the law ineffective, as it suggested that the ED could not act once a court had taken cognisance of a private complaint under Section 200 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The Solicitor General further contended that such a view could have far-reaching consequences, implying that proceedings under the PMLA could only be initiated on the basis of a police FIR.

During the hearing, the High Court queried whether there were instances where the ED had proceeded after a court had taken cognisance of a private complaint. In response, Mehta stated that the PMLA does not prescribe a specific method for registering a money laundering offence, and that an allegation of criminal activity linked to a scheduled offence is sufficient to trigger action.

The case concerns allegations that senior Congress leaders conspired to unlawfully take control of assets worth over ₹2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the original publisher of the National Herald newspaper. It is alleged that this was done through Young Indian—a company in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are majority shareholders—by paying only ₹50 lakh.