National Herald case: new FIR names Rahul, Sonia, Pitroda and 3 companies

November 30, 2025

Gandhis named in criminal conspiracy FIR tied to National Herald asset control probe

The Enforcement Directorate-led complaint triggered a new First Information Report in the National Herald money-laundering investigation, with senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi accused of criminal conspiracy and criminal conspiracy to unlawfully acquire control of Associated Journals Limited, the parent entity of the defunct National Herald newspaper.

The Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police filed the fresh FIR on October 3, 2025, naming six individuals, including the Gandhis, Sam Pitroda and technology adviser Sam Pitroda’s associate Sam Pitroda, along with former overseas Congress adviser Sam Pitroda, two Congress leaders with a combined 76% stake in Young Indian, a not-for-profit company that the FIR alleged had been used in a fraudulent takeover structure.

The FIR also named three corporate entities — Associated Journals Limited (AJL), Young Indian, and Dotex Merchandise Private Limited — and accused the individuals of “fraudulently taking over AJL.”

According to the complaint details shared by the investigation, Dotex Merchandise Private Limited — described as a Kolkata-registered shell entity — transferred ₹1 crore to Young Indian. Investigators alleged that Young Indian then paid ₹50 lakh to the Congress party, enabling it to secure controlling interest in Associated Journals Limited, whose assets had been estimated at roughly ₹2,000 crore. The complaint further alleged that the ₹1-crore transaction had allowed Young Indian to acquire decision control over AJL despite its non-profit legal structure.

The Delhi Police registered the case under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), a provision that permitted the Enforcement Directorate to direct any competent agency to register and probe scheduled offences linked to money-laundering investigations.

The FIR surfaced one day after the Rouse Avenue Court deferred its decision in the National Herald case to December 16, 2025. Sources close to the investigation earlier confirmed that a Delhi trial court had been reviewing evidence tied to financial restructuring and corporate control changes involving Associated Journals Limited.

The case’s origins dated back to 2012, when BJP leader Subramanian Swamy filed a complaint alleging cheating and breach of trust in the transfer of ownership control of the company that had once published National Herald, a newspaper originally founded by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1938.

National Herald ceased publication in 2008 after financial losses. At the time of shutdown, Associated Journals Limited had carried unpaid liabilities amounting to ₹90 crore. The Congress party later claimed it had issued a ₹90-crore loan to AJL in 100 instalments over 10 years, after which the unreturned sum had been converted into equity shares allotted to Young Indian in 2010, as the party stated it could not legally hold shares itself.

Under this structure, Young Indian became the majority shareholder of Associated Journals Limited, with Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi serving as company directors. The remaining shareholding had been held equally by Suman Dubey, Oscar Fernandes, Motilal Vora and Sam Pitroda, each holding 38% equity, according to statements issued earlier by the Congress party.

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