Rahul Gandhi’s ED Date on Day 2 Ends After Almost 12 Hours, Summoned Again on Wednesday | Key Points

After being stationed at the office of Enforcement Directorate for close to 12 hours on the second day of his questioning on Tuesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been summoned once again on Wednesday to depose in connection with the National Herald money-laundering probe. The senior Congress leader was grilled for over 10 hours on the first day on Monday.

The opposition, however, kept up its satyagraha accusing the Narendra Modi-led central government of conspiring to falsely implicate the Gandhi family. The BJP, too, sparred with the grand old party saying it was trying to put pressure on the central probe agency to “protect the Gandhis”.

Earlier in the day, Rahul arrived at the ED headquarters at with sister and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. His questioning began at 11.30 am and he was continuously quizzed for a session of four hours. He then took a break for about an hour around 3.30 pm and went home, and then returned to the ED office.

Here is all you need to know about the second day of Rahul Gandhi’s questioning by the ED in a money laundering case:

1. Rahul requests to type out statementAccording to sources, Rahul recorded his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and requested that it should be typed out. He signed every single sheet of the statement, following which he took a break for about an hour and returned to the ED office. He reportedly asked the ED to complete the questioning no matter how long it took, but the central agency refused to do so and summoned him for a third day, sources added.
2. Investigators took multiple breaks?Agency sources said Rahul recorded his statement and checked its transcript minutely. But, Congress leaders have claimed that the investigators took multiple breaks during the questioning on Monday. The investigating officer in the case continued questioning related to the incorporation of the Young Indian company, the operations of the National Herald newspaper, the loan given by the Congress to AJL and the fund transfer within the news media establishment.
3. Congress leaders stage dharnaBefore going to the ED office in the morning, Rahul joined senior party leaders for a ‘dharna’ at the Congress headquarters. Chief ministers of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel, Priyanka and party MPs were also present. Hundreds of leaders and supporters were once again detained in central Delhi for trying to hold a protest against the ED action for the second day. The Congress alleged that the ruling dispensation was conspiring to defame the Gandhi family. Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala slammed the ED action as “illegal, unconstitutional, malicious and an exercise by a prime minister burning in the fire of political vendetta”.
4. Rahul takes a swipe at Centre’s jobs announcementAmid being questioned by the ED, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the Centre over its announcement of recruitment of 10 lakh people in the next year and a half, saying this was a government of not ‘jumlas’ but ‘maha jumlas’. Gandhi tweeted in Hindi, “Just like eight years ago the youth were deceived with a promise of 2 crore jobs every year, in the same manner it is now the turn of 10 lakh government jobs. This is a government of not ‘jumlas’ (rhetoric) but ‘maha jumlas’.” To this, union minister Anurag Thakur responded by saying Rahul should first provide the ED right answers on serious charges of corruption against him. “I would only say to Rahul ji, you should first provide the right answers to ED on the serious charges of corruption made against you so that you provide information during the two days of your questioning that is carrying on.”
5. BJP says Congress showing its ‘leaders above the law’In their continued political sparring, the BJP hit out at the opposition party and said this was all “drama” and a bid to show everyone that Congress “leaders are above the law”. “When lawful action is taking place in a case of corruption, Congress is doing this drama and blocking roads… it shows the party considers its leaders above law,” said BJP’s national spokesperson Sambit Patra.
6. Congress leaders detained yet againKC Venugopal, who was allegedly manhandled by police on Monday, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury were among scores of party leaders detained outside the AICC office. Lok Sabha MP Manickam Tagore said he and some other leaders, including PL Punia, were not allowed to enter the Congress office and were detained at the Mandir Marg police station. Among the other leaders detained were Surjewala, Jairam Ramesh, Gaurav Gogoi, Deepender Singh Hooda, Ranjeet Ranjan, Jeby Mather, Imran Pratapgarhi, Youth Congress chief BV Srinivas and NSUI chief Neeraj Kundan. Some of the leaders were even roughed up. On Monday, Congress had alleged that police used force against protesters, which led to senior leader P Chidambaram and Pramod Tiwari suffering hairline fractures.
7. Heavy security deployed in central DelhiJust like Monday, central Delhi areas had a heavy security cover on Tuesday as well. All approach roads leading to the ED office were made out of bounds as prohibitory orders were imposed and barricades put up. Police personnel including from the RAF and CRPF were deployed.

(With PTI inputs)

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