The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday filed a prosecution complaint against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in connection with the National Herald money laundering case.

According to sources, senior party member Sam Pitroda and several others have also been named in the complaint.

Special Judge Vishal Gogne (PC Act) of the Rouse Avenue Courts took note of the matter and scheduled the next hearing for April 25 to consider cognisance of the complaint.

"A fresh prosecution complaint under Sections 44 and 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, relating to offences defined under Section 3 read with Section 70 and punishable under Section 4, has been received by way of assignment. Let the complaint be checked and registered," the judge stated.

The case revolves around the alleged transfer of a ₹90 crore loan—originally given by the Congress party to Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), which owns National Herald—to Young Indian, a company linked to the Gandhi family, for just ₹50 lakh. Allegations suggest misappropriation of assets exceeding ₹2,000 crore through this equity transaction.

The ED’s case stems from a private complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, accusing Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, along with Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and Young Indian, of cheating, criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, and property misappropriation.

While the predicate offence is already under trial before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate at Rouse Avenue, Judge Gogne observed that under Section 44(1)(c) of the PMLA, both the predicate and money laundering offences must be tried in the same court and jurisdiction.

The ED’s counsel informed the court of plans to move an application for transfer of the case to the appropriate forum. The matter is slated for further hearing on April 25