India’s Gandhi’s summoned in money laundering probe

As part of an investigation into a charge of money laundering, India’s financial crime-fighting agency wants to examine the two most senior members of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, who run the main opposition Congress party.

According to the BJP, the summons is related to a nine-year-old complaint filed by a lawmaker from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul.

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Subramanian Swamy, a legislator, had accused the Gandhis of fraudulently creating a shell corporation and taking possession of properties worth $300 million.

In a statement condemning the notice given to the Gandhis, the Congress party claimed, “A vile and cowardly scheme is being formed against the leadership of the Indian National Congress to mislead the country.”

“We will fight and win this attack on the country’s democracy with the entire party and every worker standing shoulder to shoulder with them.”

The assets in dispute belonged to a company that published the National Herald newspaper, which was created in 1937 by Jawaharlal Nehru, Rahul Gandhi’s great grandfather and India’s first prime minister.

Swamy, for one, praised the enforcement directorate’s move and expressed his desire that they would be imprisoned, writing on Twitter, “From bail to jail as quickly as feasible.”

A representative for the Enforcement Directorate declined to comment. The reason for the agency’s action was not immediately evident.

After India gained independence from British colonial authority in 1947, Congress ruled for decades. However, after the BJP comfortably beat it in the 2014 and 2019 national elections, its fortunes have plummeted.