New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday, August 2, carried out searches at various locations in the national capital in connection with the National Herald money laundering case.

NDTV has reported that at least 12 locations, most linked to the Associated Journals Limited – including the offices of the National Herald newspaper which AJL ran, on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg – were searched. Unnamed sources were quoted by the news outlet as having said that some property is likely to be attached.

Officials said the searches are being carried out under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to “gather additional evidence with regard to the trail of funds”.

The ED recently questioned Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and her son and party leader Rahul on the case. The two Gandhis are the board of directors of Young India Ltd, a charitable company that was tasked with the recovery of Associated Journals Limited’s debt.

Congress workers and leaders have demonstration across the country, alleging that the ED is harassing the Congress brass as they are in the opposition. Several party MLAs and MPs were detained during these protests. 

The Congress condemned Tuesday’s raids too as “vendetta politics” and said the action was part of the continued attack on the country’s principal opposition party.“The raids on Herald House, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg are a part of the continued attack against India’s principal opposition – Indian National Congress,” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet.

“We strongly condemn this vendetta politics against those who speak up against the Modi Govt. You cannot silence us!” he said.