"Political vendetta; nothing in case": Abhishek Manu Singhvi after ED files prosecution complaint against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi [India], April 15 (ANI): After the Enforcement Directorate filed a prosecution complaint in Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and others in the alleged National Herald money laundering case, Senior Advocate and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Tuesday said that there is "nothing" in the case in a legal sense.
"This will be contested fully in all aspects... I think the government, by such matters, is only exposing itself and its campaign of political vendetta because there is absolutely nothing in this case in a legal sense," Singhvi said in a self-made video.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh said that the Congress Party is not going to be scared of this.
"With the spirit of revenge, the Bharatiya Janata Party tries to trap opposition leaders. But the Congress Party is not going to be scared of this," Singh said.
Earlier today, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a prosecution complaint (chargesheet) against top Congress members Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in connection with the National Herald money laundering case.
The said chargesheet also names Congress leader Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey and others, including several firms.
The matter has been listed for arguments on cognisance in the Delhi Rouse Avenue Court on April 25.
The prosecution complaint has been filed under Sections 44 and 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, for the offence of money laundering, as defined under Section 3, read with Section 70, and punishable under Section 4 of the PMLA, 2002.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne stated that as per the submission of the counsel representing the ED, the predicate offence--recorded under complaint case No. 18/2019--includes charges under Sections 403, 406, and 420, read with Section 120(B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, and is currently under trial at the Rouse Avenue Courts in New Delhi.
The court observed that under Section 44(1)(c) of the PMLA, the predicate offence must be tried in the same court that has taken cognisance of the money laundering offence under Section 3 of the PMLA. The court further noted that both offences--the predicate offence and the PMLA offence--must be adjudicated in the same jurisdiction.
The National Herald case is being heard in a Delhi court. The complaint was filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, their associated companies, and other individuals. (ANI)