Sonia Gandhi tests positive for Covid-19
The Congress chief will, however, appear before the Enforcement Directorate on June 8 in connection with a money laundering case, the party said.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi has tested positive for coronavirus, the party said on Twitter on Thursday.
Gandhi developed a mild fever and other coronavirus-related symptoms on Wednesday evening, party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said. She has isolated herself, the spokesperson added.
“As a large number of Congressmen and women and well wishers have expressed concern, we want to say that she is fine and recovering,” Surjewala said. “We thank everyone for their good wishes.”
On Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate had issued summons to the Congress chief and her son, Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi, to appear before the central agency on June 8 for questioning in a money laundering case.
Surjewala said on Thursday that Gandhi will appear before the agency on June 8. “We, at Indian National Congress, shall keep you posted about any future developments,” he added.
Meanwhile, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal has also tested positive for Covid-19.
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— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) June 2, 2022
As per medical advise, Congress President has isolated herself.
As a large number of Congressmen & women & well wishers have expressed concern, we want to stay that she is fine and recovering. We thank everyone for their good wishes.
The case against the Gandhis is related to the newspaper National Herald, which is published by Associated Journals Limited and owned by Young Indian Private Limited.
In April 2008, the newspaper suspended operations as it had incurred a debt of over Rs 90 crore. Bharatiya Janata Party MP Subramanian Swamy has accused the Gandhis of setting up the Young Indian Private Limited firm to buy the debt using the funds of the Congress.
In a private complaint before a trial court, Swamy has alleged that Young Indian paid only Rs 50 lakh to obtain the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore that the Associated Journals Limited owed to the Congress. The party had loaned the amount to Associated Journals Limited on interest-free basis, according to court records.
The Congress has claimed that there was no money exchange and only conversion of debt into equity took place to pay off dues like salaries.
The party alleged on Twitter that the BJP deploys “its puppets” whenever it is afraid of facing up to real problems. “The BJP government only knows one thing – how to cover up its failure,” it said. “It will use any means necessary for that.”