On the 3rd of August 2022, additional police forces were deployed outside ’10 Janpath’, that is, the residence of the Congress Supremo Sonia Gandhi. Similarly, there is an additional police force present near the residence of Youth Congress leader Rahul Gandhi too.

The deployment comes weeks after Sonia Gandhi was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the National Herald case. Rahul Gandhi was also questioned in the same money laundering case in June 2022.

Speculations are rife that the current development can be related to the ED probe in the money laundering case associated with National Herald. The Enforcement Directorate has additionally sealed the National Herald workplace and additionally advised that the premises must now no longer be opened without the previous permission of the probing agency. Hours after the action, a heavy police force was deployed outside the house of the top Congress leaders.

It is notable that Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi are among the accused in the National Herald case. Rahul Gandhi was interrogated by ED in June 2022. While Rahul Gandhi was unable to give satisfactory answers to the agency, Sonia Gandhi is also reported to have blamed the late Congress leader Motilal Vora in this case while answering the investigating officers.

The Congress party hosted violent protests against the interrogation of the top two leaders in the party. The protests were reported from various states where the respective state units of the old party torched vehicles and vandalized public and private properties. Meanwhile, after questioning Sonia Gandhi, ED raided multiple locations in Delhi on 2nd August 2022, in connection with the National Herald money laundering case.

Rahul Gandhi had to return to Delhi last night cutting short his Karnataka visit as ED seals the Young Indian office at National Herald House Looks like his plan was foiled brilliantly. A lot was planned as per Gaurav Pradhan.

ED seals the Young India office

Following the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) choice to briefly seal Young India's office situated inside Congress-claimed National Herald's building (Herald House) in Delhi, the Congress Party has assembled a conference of every one of its individuals from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha at the Congress Parliamentary Party office to choose the following strategy.

Prior, it was accounted for that the National Herald building was sealed, however, later the reports came out that only the workplace of Young India was sealed, not the whole structure. The move by the central investigation agency has been made as a part of an ongoing money laundering. Reports propose that Congress MPs could give adjournment motion notice in the Parliament over ED's activity against Young India.

Besides, extra police forces were additionally conveyed outside the Congress central command at 24 Akbar Road, the occupant of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the residence of interim party President Sonia Gandhi at 10 Janpath. The course of action was made following data sources got from Special Branch that protesters could assemble in enormous numbers in the three areas after ED's choice to seal Young India's office.

ED claims Congress didn't cooperate in the raid

According to reports, ED authorities said they sealed the workplace as there was nobody present when they came to raid Young India's office. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge had visited the building when ED authorities were there, however, he purportedly would not participate and left the structure. ED briefly sealed the workplace and called Kharge to be available for the raid.

An ED official told Aaj Tak, "Chief Officer Kharge came however left the office without partaking in the raid. We have summoned him for the raid. When our pursuit is over within the sight of an approved individual, we will eliminate the seal."

Then again, Kharge and Congress party denied the charges leveled by the investigation agency. In an explanation, Kharge said neither ED looked for consent to look through the premises nor did he prevent them from doing any pursuit.

Congress denied permission to protest on August 5

Congress has connected the presence of an additional Police force outside the AICC office to the protests they had planned for August 5. During a press conference, Congress leader Ajay Maken informed that the Delhi Police had denied permission for the protests planned for Friday. He said a letter from the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) office was sent to Congress denying permission for the protests the party had planned against price rise and unemployment.

In the statement during the press conference, Maken said, “Today we received a letter from DCP that we can`t protest on August 5 & AICC was turned into a Police cantonment. The government may suppress us as much as they want, but we`ll protest against inflation, unemployment, GST on edible items & go ahead with our schedule even if jailed.”

During the nationwide protests on August 5, Congress MPs were supposed to hold ‘Chalo Rashtrapati Bhavan’ from Parliament. On the other hand, CWC members and senior Congress leaders were scheduled to participate in ‘PM House Gherao’.

KC Venugopal @kcvenugopalmp also wrote on Aug 1st, "Chaired a meeting of senior leaders & functionaries of Delhi PCC to plan strategies for @INCIndia 's mass protest, Rashtrapati Bhavan March & PM House Gherao protest in Delhi on 5th August, against price rise, unemployment & higher GST imposition on essential items."

References:

opindia.com