FIR Vs SIR In Winter Session: Action Against Sonia, Rahul Gandhi Heralds Fresh Trouble For Congress

Last Updated:November 30, 2025, 14:23 IST

Congress’s top legal brain Abhishek Manu Singhvi dismissed the fresh FIR as just another rehash job. The court will deliver its verdict in the Herald case on December 16

(From left) Congress leader Rahul, Sonia Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge. (PTI)

Even as the Congress was sharpening its arsenal to take on the government on multiple issues such as the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR), China and Red Fort blast in the winter session starting on Monday, came the news that a fresh First Information Report (FIR) has been filed in the Herald case naming Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.

The Congress lost its fight against corruption way back in 2014 when Narendra Modi rode on the plank of offering a strong, clean government to become the Prime Minister. Ever since, the PM has highlighted how the Congress is identified with corruption which reaches the top – the Gandhis.

WHAT DOES THE FIR STATE?

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police has filed the FIR against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, along with six others, in connection with the alleged irregular acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL).

The case is based on allegations that the leaders and their associates worked together to wrongfully take control of the company, which was earlier linked to the Congress and had properties worth about Rs 2,000 crore. According to the FIR dated October 3, the takeover was carried out through Young Indian, a company in which the Gandhis together held 76 per cent of the shares.

The police action was a result of complaint submitted by the Headquarters Investigative Unit (HIU) of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The ED had shared its detailed findings from its probe into the Herald money laundering case, covering the period between 2008 and 2024.

Sharing of information under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) allows the ED to request another agency to register and investigate a scheduled offence. Once such an offence is recorded, it becomes the basis — or predicate offence — for the ED to continue its own money laundering probe.

The ED’s investigation is based on a private complaint filed by former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Subramanian Swamy. A metropolitan magistrate at Patiala House had taken cognisance of the complaint in June 2014, setting the legal process in motion. Since then, the ED has been conducting an inquiry into the alleged irregularities linked to Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) and its acquisition.

IMPLICATIONS OF FIR

Congress’s top legal brain Abhishek Manu Singhvi dismissed the fresh FIR as just another rehash job. The Congress says each time the party wants to raise an issue, such old cases are whipped up.

While this may be the legal stand of the Congress and Rahul Gandhi may say he wears the multiple cases as a badge of honour, its timing, a day before the winter session begins, will impact the party as the Congress will have to fight this issue as well.

The court will deliver its verdict in the Herald case on December 16. If the verdict puts the top leaders in the dock, it would only make the fight weaker. The cadre would be expected to change gears and focus on the Gandhis.

But this is not what Rahul Gandhi had planned. He wanted the Karnataka power struggle also to be put on the backburner as he didn’t want the focus to be taken away from SIR, with plans for a December 14 mega rally and Parliament fight.

CAN HERALD UNITE THE INDIA BLOC?

In troubled times, you need all hands on deck. And this is what the Congress would want. Will the bloc members such as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Trinamool Congress (TMC), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), who, too, face corruption allegations support and stand by the Gandhis in Parliament ?

Such is the division and bitterness that this may be doubtful. Plus, most of the stakeholders are fighting their own polls – like the TMC in Bengal and DMK in Tamil Nadu. They would want to be part of a fight which suits them electorally. So the case may not herald a new turn in the India bloc unity story.

Rahul Gandhi may take pride in it, the Congress may cry foul, but the Herald ghost returns to haunt the party just ahead of the many challenges it already faces.

News politics FIR Vs SIR In Winter Session: Action Against Sonia, Rahul Gandhi Heralds Fresh Trouble For Congress

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