
National Herald case: Court defers order on cognisance of ED chargesheet
Court sources said the matter is now listed for August 7 and 8 for certain clarifications.
Earlier on July 15, Special judge Vishal Gogne had reserved the order for July 29 after noting that the submissions on the aspect of cognisance had been concluded.
National Herald case: Congress workers stage protest outside ED HQ, accuse Centre of vendetta
The court had been hearing the submissions on the point of cognisance by the Enforcement Directorate and the accused on a day-to-day basis from July 2.
The ED has accused Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, late party leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, as well as Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda and a private company, Young Indian, of conspiracy and money laundering over the alleged fraudulent takeover of Rs 2,000 crore worth properties belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which published the National Herald newspaper.
The agency alleges that the Gandhis held the majority 76 per cent shares in Young Indian, which allegedly fraudulently usurped the assets of AJL in exchange for a Rs 90 crore loan.
The chargesheet names Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Pitroda, Dubey, Sunil Bhandari, Young Indian and Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
32 minutes ago
- Time of India
VP election: Uphill task for opposition in contest, bloc may field 'ideological' face
NEW DELHI: The opposition may field a strong "ideological" face as candidate in the vice-presidential election, as it looks to portray a strong contrast with the governing BJP's nominee to send out a political message across the country. Ahead of discussions on picking a candidate, it is felt that since winnability is an uphill task due to opposition's weaker numerical strength in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, INDIA bloc should use the vice-president (VP) contest to send out an unambiguous signal to its core constituencies of marginalised sections, including backwards and minorities, farmers, and intellectuals and the civil society. INDIA bloc is scheduled to meet Thursday (Aug 7), where Bihar assembly election is likely to be an issue as also the special intensive revision of the state's electoral rolls. The meeting, sources said, may also initiate a preliminary discussion on the likely candidate for the VP polls. Unity on consensus candidate will be challenge for the opposition camp At the meet, Rahul Gandhi may give a presentation on Congress 's "research" on voters' lists which he has said proves beyond doubt that the rolls are being tampered with to help BJP. The VP election has come prematurely after the controversial resignation by Jagdeep Dhankhar last month following an alleged confrontation with the govt over his decision to accept the notices to remove Justices Shekhar Yadav and Yashwant Varma. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If you have a mouse, play this game for 1 minute Navy Quest Undo Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge Saturday alleged that Dhankhar was biased against the opposition, but he took one independent decision and it led to his downfall, as he accused the Modi govt of pressuring constitutional authorities. The opposition has been accusing the governing BJP of attacking constitutional values, secularism, fair elections, marginalised sections, besides weakening the economy and endangering the future of the youth. Some feel that an ideal VP candidate from the opposition camp should be able to represent these issues and send out a strong message. Such a move by the opposition, insiders argue, will hammer home the ideological distinction between BJP and the opposition parties, and help rally the base as the latter looks to build upon its gains in the 2024 LS polls. However, ensuring unity with a consensus candidate will also be a challenge for the opposition camp, where many partners compete against each other and are antagonistic. In the first vice presidential election held after BJP assumed office in 2014, Congress and opposition had fielded Mahatma Gandhi's grandson and known intellectual Gopal Krishna Gandhi to take on BJP's M Venkaiah Naidu in 2017. However, when the opposition witnessed fissures in its ranks in 2022, there was a paucity of candidates and Congress was forced to field a party leader in Margaret Alva to take on BJP candidate Dhankhar.


Time of India
43 minutes ago
- Time of India
Server down becomes code for graft in Karnataka's sub-registrar offices
Bengaluru: Karnataka's ambitious e-governance drive, meant to fast-track services and curb corruption, is increasingly turning into a digital smokescreen for graft — especially in sub-registrar offices. Across the state, the phrase "server down" has morphed into a thinly veiled signal for citizens to grease palms to move even routine paperwork. What was pitched as a corruption-free system has, in many places, become a sophisticated tool to collect illegal payments. "E-governance in Karnataka was envisioned as a tool to ensure transparency and accountability in govt functioning, but its implementation has fallen short of expectations," said civic activist Vivek Menon. "While digital platforms were meant to reduce human intervention and curb corruption, loopholes in the system have instead given rise to new forms of graft." Menon said staff now manipulate digital records, delay online approvals, and exploit citizens unfamiliar with technology. "Further, being gatekeepers for approvals, officials cite delays and impose hurdles to extract money for clearances. The lack of robust auditing and cyber-vigilance has allowed a tech-savvy few to misuse the system for personal gain," Menon said. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru A 2022 Lokayukta investigation revealed misuse in 45 of 245 sub-registrar offices. Frequent crashes in the Kaveri property registration system enabled staff and middlemen to collect unofficial payments between Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000. Regular visitors claim the demand has now gone up by 20%. E-khata services, designed to avoid human interference, are also being misused. Citizens in Bengaluru and other cities say they were made to pay Rs 3,000–15,000 extra for what was supposed to be an end-to-end online service. "Sub-registrar offices have introduced mandatory 'tax' to get servers working," said multiple users on social media. Vinay Chenagappa, a Bengaluru resident, said, "I was told the digital portal was 'down'—and directed to pay intermediaries outside the office. Money brings everything 'up'. Pay some to shops outside the sub-registrar office. Sad but it's the truth, without mandatory tax it's very difficult to get registration done… Registration offices have a daily collection… Before closing for the day, every single staff member gets his/her share. " Real estate analyst Ravikanth Uday shared a similar experience: "The digital divide has further marginalised the poor and uneducated, making them more vulnerable to exploitation. E-governance should have empowered such citizens, but in many instances, it has become another bureaucratic hurdle. Without stronger oversight, transparency, and citizen engagement, Karnataka's digital transformation risks becoming a sophisticated facade for old-school corruption. " Complaints also point to lopsided enforcement. "Middle-class citizens face scrutiny while real estate tycoons and builders proceed unchecked as they work under different 'payment' systems," said one user. Another added, "Without greasing palms it's very difficult... Officials demand Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000 just to complete legal formalities." In July 2024, the govt introduced mandatory counselling for sub-registrars and senior staff before transfers, hoping to break entrenched local networks. But the move has had little effect. Revenue minister Krishna Byre Gowda has made surprise visits to some offices and warned erring officials, videos of which have been widely shared on social media, but systemic change remains elusive. "While digitisation is intended to reduce human intervention, its effectiveness is undermined without robust transparency and enforcement measures," said civic advocate Mohd Hidayath. He recommended special courts for graft cases in sub-registrar offices and an anonymous whistleblower mechanism. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Fading boundaries: Encroachments, sewage choke Amber Cheruvu
Hyderabad: The fate of Amber Cheruvu hangs in the balance due to encroachments and sewage. It wasn't too long ago that a man bought a plot of land for Rs 6 crore, only to realise he'd acquired a piece of the Amber Cheruvu. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The incident forced authorities to finally mark the Full Tank Level (FTL) of the lake. However, while the paperwork may now reflect where the lake begins, the ground reality tells another story, one where the lakebed continues to vanish under a steady stream of debris and unchecked construction, as builders push boundaries, quite literally. The construction over the years has also led to a functional road between the water body, leading to its division into two lakes — Amber Cheruvu and Pragati Nagar Lake. "A sewage treatment plant (STP) project launched two years ago came to a halt after nearby colonies resisted pipeline work. As a result, raw sewage continues to gush into the water body, turning it into a toxic cesspool. You can barely stand near it," said Sandeep Raj, a resident of the area. The extent of the combined twin lake boundary is currently at 162 acres. In 2024, a report on the condition of 13 lakes across different locations of the city was submitted by the two-member committee of advocate commissioners to the high court. Amber Cheruvu was one of them. The report revealed extensive encroachments on the FTL and the buffer zone, along with various sewage inlets polluting the lakes. The committee, in its report, also shared details of the fencing around the lakes, walking tracks, CCTV cameras, and sewerage treatment. "There are five encroachments on the FTL and 105 in the buffer zone. Fencing is not completed even on the main roadside, Ring Bund, though completed, but the walking track is not laid. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Cameras are not available, and no lake guards were observed on site. Sewage diversion is not completed. The lake is seen dumped with garbage and sewage water, and the lake has a pungent odour and foul smell," the report read. "In 2014, a preliminary notification was issued, but there was no update on it afterwards. The lake channel connectivity between Ambar Cheruvu and Yellamma Cheruvu near Jayanagar in Kukatpally has almost eroded, owing to the unregulated construction activity. Fixing FTL is not the end; making sure that it is not encroached again is important," said Lubna Sarwath, an environmentalist. Adding to the danger is a narrow strip of road that separates the two lakes. With no barricades on either side, it remains exposed and unsafe, particularly during rains when the lakes swell and visibility drops. Locals worry it's only a matter of time before an accident occurs. Over the years, the twin lakes have caught the attention of officials more than once. But for the people living around them, not much has changed. "Residents say they are grappling with daily health and safety concerns, from clouds of mosquitoes to the overpowering smell that refuses to go away. The problem becomes serious during the monsoon as it floods our cellar. Mosquitoes swarm into the house by 6 pm, and we've even had snakes enter the compound," said Sharon D, a 25-year-old resident of the area. "We have fixed its FTL and even submitted all the information with the report last year, but we need to check if fresh encroachments have come up," said an official from HMDA.