New Delhi: Enforcement Directorate sleuths raided on Tuesday the offices and other premises related to Congress party’s mouth piece ‘National Herald’ in New Delhi and other places. The premier agency which was given a free run by the apex court recently, had also questioned Congress President Sonia Gandhi and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi in June and July for several days.
Enforcement Directorate teams raided National Herald's office in Delhi and 13 other locations across the country today morning, according to agency reports.
What is National Herald?
The Associated Journal Limited (AJL), which owned National Herald was formed on 20 November 1937 by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of the country. Its purpose was to publish newspapers in different languages. The publication of Newspapers such as National Herald in English, Navjeevan in Hindi and Qaumi Awaaz in Urdu was started under AJL.
Even though Nehru played a crucial role in the formation of AJL, he never owned it. Instead, 5000 freedom fighters were the real stake holders of this company. After six decades of its journey these newspapers started making losses in 90s. By the year 2008, AJL had a debt of over Rs 90 crore. Then AJL decided that newspapers would no longer be published.
Congress party provided AJL a credit worth Rs. 90 crore. Later Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi led company bought loss making AJL which has assets worth Rs. 2,000 crores at a throw away price, BJP leader and complainant Subramanyam Swami accused.