The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday questioned Congress president Sonia Gandhi for over six hours on the second day of her appearance in a money laundering case linked to the National Herald newspaper and asked her to appear again on Wednesday for further questioning in the case.
While Sonia’s questioning was underway at the ED office, her son and party leader Rahul Gandhi and several other MPs were detained by the police at Vijay Chowk after they staged a protest against her questioning by the agency.
The Congress chief reached the ED office around 11 am with her Z+ security contingent and accompanied by her children Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
She left the ED office around 2 pm and returned an hour later around 3.30 pm in what was likely a lunch break.
The questioning and recording of the statements of the 75-year-old Congress president under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) began at 11.15 am after initial formalities like marking the attendance sheet.
She left the agency’s office in Central Delhi just before 7 pm on Tuesday after recording her statement.
While Priyanka stayed back at the ED office, Rahul left soon after and joined the protest against his mother’s questioning, at Vijay Chowk.
Priyanka was in another room at the ED office so she could meet her mother to provide her medicines or medical assistance if necessary, officials said.
Earlier on July 21, the Congress president was questioned for over two hours when she replied to 28 questions posed to her by the agency.
The Lok Sabha MP from Rae Bareli is understood to have been asked questions pertaining to her involvement with the National Herald newspaper and the company under scanner in the case -- Young Indian Pvt Ltd.
Rahul and party MPs and cadres had gathered at the Vijay Chowk to march towards the Rashtrapati Bhavan to draw the President’s attention to the alleged misuse of Central agencies by the Government, but were stopped by the police.
Gandhi was put in a police bus but officials did not disclose where he was being taken. Other Congress MPs were also detained and taken away in separate police buses.
“India is a police State, Modi is a king,” Rahul alleged.
He said even discussions were not being allowed in Parliament.
“I am not going anywhere. We wanted to go towards the President’s house. But the police are not allowing us,” Rahul said.
“All Congress MPs stopped at Vijay Chowk and prevented from marching to Rashtrapati Bhavan. Forcibly arrested. Now we are in police buses being taken to a place only the PM and HM know…,” Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh tweeted.
“The Delhi Police harassed us. They have taken almost all the Congress MPs under detention and are taking them to unknown places,” said party MP Manickam Tagore.
“We were holding a peaceful protest to give a petition to the President of India, but were attacked by the police. All the MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, have been arrested and taken to police stations,” Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden said.
The Congress MPs met earlier in the Parliament complex to decide on a strategy as party chief Sonia appeared before the ED for questioning in the money laundering case.
They also staged a protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in the Parliament complex.
AICC general secretary Ajay Maken claimed they were denied permission to organise a “satyagraha” outside Rajghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi.