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Sonia Gandhi at ED Office, Questioning Underway

New Delhi: Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi accompanied by party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on her way to appear before the ED office in the National Herald case, in New Delhi on Thursday, July 21, 2022. (Photo: Wasim Sarvar/IANS)

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi is at ED office after she had sought Enforcement Directorate (ED)'s permission to assist her ailing mother Sonia Gandhi during her interrogation as Congress president is facing speech issues

NEW DELHI — Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday joined the probe of Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the National Herald case.

She reached the ED’s headquarters at around 12.10 p.m. and was being questioned by a team of Additional Director Monika Sharma.

Sonia Gandhi wrote her name and signed the ED’s register.

She reached the ED headquarters accompanied by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

A few minutes later Rahul Gandhi left the ED office while Priyanka remained at the headquarters and had a medicine box for her mother.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had sought Enforcement Directorate (ED)’s permission to assist her ailing mother Sonia Gandhi during her interrogation in the National Herald case.

According to sources, Priyanka told the ED officials that since her mother does not keep well, she takes care of the medicines and hence her presence is required.

Priyanka Gandhi reportedly reached the ED office with Sonia Gandhi’s medical documents to seek some relief for her mother as she is facing speech issues. She requested the ED officials to allow her to be present at the questioning room.

The ED allowed the move, but said that she will have to be in a different room.

Sources have suggested that Sonia Gandhi will be asked the same set of questions which were asked to Rahul Gandhi during his five-day questioning.

Her questioning, which was scheduled to take place on June 23, was postponed on her request as she was not keeping well.

“We have to ask about her role in the deal between Young India and Associated Journal Ltd (AJL),” the sources said.

There was a heavy deployment of police personnel around the Congress headquarters and the Enforcement Directorate office here ahead of Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi’s questioning in the National Herald case.

As the police anticipated that Congress workers might take a protest march from the party headquarters, they placed several barricades on the road to stop the protesters from moving towards the ED office.

The barricades were placed en route from 24 Akbar road to the ED Office, Paryawaran Bhawan, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam road.

The police personnel in heavy numbers, along with paramilitary force and rapid action force teams were deployed at several points to avoid any untoward incident.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged that Delhi Police are preventing media from entering the Congress party headquarters from early hours. “This high-handedness was only to be expected and reflects the mindset of the Modi Sarkar,” the Congress leader tweeted.

However, denying the allegations, Deputy Commissioner of Police Amrutha Guguloth said that there were no such restrictions. “Media is allowed at 24 Akbar Road,” she said. — IANS

Delhi police personnel stand guard outside ED office as Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi appears before the probe agency in the National Herald case, in New Delhi on Thursday. — Wasim Sarvar/IANS
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