National Herald case: Delhi court refuses to issue notice to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi

A Delhi court on Friday refused to issue notice to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and others in the National Herald money laundering case for now.

Special judge Vishal Gogne was acting on a plea of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which claimed cognisance of the complaint (ED's equivalent to a chargesheet) cannot be taken without hearing the accused according to the new provisions of law.

"Don't want this order to be prolonged. Let notice be issued," ED told the court.

The judge, however, said before the court is satisfied that notice is required, it couldn't "pass such an order".

Before court passes any order, it has to see if there is any deficiency, the judge added.

"There are certain documents missing in the chargesheet as highlighted by the Ahlmad. ED is directed to file those documents. After that the court will decide the issue of notice," the court said.

The ED said it was "very transparent".

"Not hiding anything. Giving chance to them to come and give their point before cognisance is taken," the ED told the court.

The judge posted the matter on May 2.