Tankha said on ED’s notice to Sonia-Rahul – never seen so much open bias
The Congress has termed the case registered in the ED (Enforcement Directorate) against the party leadership in the National Herald case as fake. After the ED’s notice to Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in this case, Rajya Sabha MP and Senior Advocate Vivek Tankha accused the Central Government of making false cases. He said that he has never seen such open partisanship in his life. Did we fight with the Britishers for this democracy?
MP Tankha, who reached Raipur, said that National Herald is a brand, which has been a part of the freedom struggle. It was started by freedom fighters like Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel. It is associated with the ideology of Congress.
Tankha told the full story of this case
In a discussion with reporters at Congress state headquarters Rajiv Bhavan, MP Vivek Tankha told the story of the National Herald case. He said that over time this newspaper started going into losses. To get out of this crisis, the Congress gave it a loan of Rs 90 crore in about 100 installments from 2002 to 2011. Out of this Rs 90 crore, Rs 67 crore was used by National Herald to pay salaries and VRS to its employees.
Debt converted into equity shares
Tankha said that the remaining amount was used to pay government liabilities like electricity duty, house tax, rental charges and building expenses etc. It was not possible to repay the loan of Rs 90 crore by National Herald and its parent company Associated Journals Ltd. Hence the debt was converted into equity shares of Associated Journals Ltd. Since the Indian National Congress could not retain the ownership of the equity shares. Hence it was allotted to a not-for-profit company named ‘Young Indian’ established under section-25.
MP Tankha said that as Congress leadership, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Oscar Fernandes, Motilal Vora, Suman Dubey etc. were members of the managing committee of this ‘not-for-profit’ company. This is part of the general practice of companies. Big companies do this consistently, it is not called a crime.
Not a single penny can be taken by any person of the managing committee.
Vivek Tankha said that the shareholders/members of the managing committee of any company established on the concept of ‘not-for-profit’ cannot legally take any dividend, profit, salary or other financial benefits. Therefore, the question of any receipt or financial gain by Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi or any other person in the ‘Young Indian’ does not arise. When nothing like this happened then what is the crime and what is the case?
ED had closed the case in 2015
Vivek Tankha said, no FIR has been registered in this case. BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had alleged in a complaint that the provision of equity in the National Herald was wrong in law. The Enforcement Directorate found in the preliminary investigation that no case was made out in this case. That’s why it was closed. In 2018-19, ED has reopened it under the pressure of the BJP government.
Rahul Gandhi will go to ED office tomorrow
Vivek Tankha told, this is a fake case. So the Congress leadership has decided that they will face the investigation. Rahul Gandhi will visit Enforcement Directorate on June 13. If Sonia Gandhi ji’s health is also fine, then on 23rd she will also try to go. Vivek Tankha said, he is not afraid of pressure from BJP. But we oppose the method adopted to defame the Congress leadership.
Cases are ending as soon as you join BJP
Vivek Tankha said, this is the style of BJP. Giving a list, he alleged that in the last few years, the BJP has continuously filed ED cases against the leaders of the opposition. They have been raided. Do they get only the leaders of the opposition in the whole country. It is also very clear that all the cases against the leaders who join the BJP end. As soon as someone leaves BJP, cases start. Tankha said, the Congress leadership is not going to be afraid of this tactic. No crime has been committed in the National Herald case.
