The National Herald case has resurfaced again, as the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police has issued a notice to Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and his brother, D.K. Suresh. The notice, sent on 29th November, asks them to provide detailed information about any financial transactions they may have made with Young Indian, the company that owns the National Herald newspaper. This move comes just days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a fresh complaint with the Delhi Police regarding the same case.
In the notice, the EOW has asked Shivakumar and Suresh to submit complete records of money transferred to Young Indian, either by them personally or by any firms, companies or HUFs related to them. It asks them to explain the purpose of those bank transfers and whether any communication, written, electronic or otherwise, took place between them and Young Indian or people connected to the Congress party.
Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing has issued a notice to Karnataka Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar in the National Herald case. The 29 November notice asks him to submit financial and transactional details and appear by 19 December. EOW believes he holds key documents related to… pic.twitter.com/enostgo9hU
— IANS (@ians_india) December 5, 2025
The notice also wants to know the “source of the donations” that Shivakumar reportedly made to Young Indian. It asks if donation receipts were issued and how these transactions were shown in their financial accounts and income tax returns during that time. Both brothers have been asked to submit their replies by 19th December.
National Herald Case | Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has issued a notice to Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, asking him to provide financial and transactional details. The notice, sent on November 29, asks him to submit the documents/information to the EOW office…
— ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2025
The FIR, registered on 3rd October by one Shiv Kumar Gupta, Assistant Director with the ED, mentioned names of Sonia and Rahul, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, Young Indian, Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd, Sunil Bhandari, Associated Journals Ltd and unknown people under IPC Sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy).
FIR names Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others
This notice is linked to a fresh FIR filed by the Delhi Police based on a complaint from the ED. The FIR includes the names of several senior Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Former officials linked to the party-run newspaper, Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda, have also been named, along with Young Indian, Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd, Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), and others.
The FIR lists multiple Indian Penal Code sections, cheating, criminal breach of trust, dishonest misappropriation of property and criminal conspiracy. According to the FIR, government-allotted properties given to AJL at subsidised rates for public interest work were later diverted for private benefit. It alleges that this represents a serious fraud and conspiracy to misuse prime real estate.
According to the FIR, the Gandhi family possesses a 38 per cent share each in a company named Young India, which received Rs 1 crore from Dotex Merchandise, a shell firm situated in Kolkata. For a minimal price of Rs 50 lakh, it then took over the debt of Associated Journals Limited, the publisher of the now-defunct National Herald daily. This enabled Young Indian to take control of AJL’s real estate assets across the country, worth over Rs 2,000 crore.
Background of the case
The National Herald newspaper, founded by Jawaharlal Nehru and other freedom fighters, stopped publication in 2008 because of financial problems. At the time, AJL had a debt of about ₹90 crore. In 2012, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy took the matter to court, accusing the Congress leaders of cheating and misusing funds while taking over the newspaper’s parent company.
Young Indian, where Sonia and Rahul Gandhi each reportedly hold a 38% share, took over AJL’s debt for only ₹50 lakh. The company had earlier received ₹1 crore from Dotex Merchandise, which the FIR calls a shell company. This financial structure allowed Young Indian to gain control of AJL’s valuable properties located in cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Lucknow.
Previous ED and EOW action
The Enforcement Directorate has been investigating the case for years. On 9th April this year, the ED filed a chargesheet against seven accused, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Both were also questioned by the agency in 2022. Later, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police filed a fresh case with the Delhi Police, claiming new evidence and fresh allegations regarding the misuse of government-allotted assets.
Earlier, the central agency had also issued notices to take possession of immovable properties worth around ₹661 crore. These included real estate assets attached as part of the money laundering probe against AJL and Young Indian.
Rahul Gandhi has been questioned, and the AJL property valued at Rs 750 crore was attached. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi had been identified as the principal accused in the ED’s PMLA chargesheet that was presented to the Special MP/MLA court in Delhi.
