New Delhi [India], August 4 (ANI): After the Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge in the money laundering case involving the National Herald newspaper, Congress MP KC Venugopal on Thursday said "Horrible raj" is going on in the country while alleging that the government does not want democracy at all.

"Horrible raj is going on in the country. There are parliamentary systems. We are law-abiding citizens, but when parliament is in session and LOP (Mallikarjun Kharge) is participating in a debate, ED is summoning him at 12:30, what is the point?" Venugopal told ANI.

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"Same thing happened when Sanjay Raut was arrested, they did not inform the parliament so far. Privilege for members of parliament exists for the safeguarding of democracy. But this government does not want democracy at all. We are not scared, we will fight it out. We are not cowards. Tomorrow's protest is on price rise and unemployment. We will do it all over India and in parliament," he added.

Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday was quizzed for around eight hours by the ED office in the national capital in connection with the money laundering case involving the National Herald newspaper.

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The Congress MP arrived at ED headquarters at around 12:30 pm on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, Kharge informed the Rajya Sabha that the Enforcement Directorate had issued summons against him amid ongoing proceedings of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, accusing the Central government of attempting to intimidate the Congress party.

Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi have already been questioned in the case over alleged evasion of tax.

Notably, ED on Wednesday partially sealed the offices of Young India Limited -- the firm that owns Associated Journals, which runs the outlet -- at Herald House in Delhi.

The probe agency took action a day after the ED carried out raids at 12 locations in the national capital and at other places in connection with the National Herald case in which top Congress leaders are accused of violating norms.

Kharge is the authorised representative for the company, and the sealing had to be done as he was not there.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi termed the sealing of the Young Indian office at the Herald House building as an "intimidation attempt" by the ruling BJP and asserted that he is "not scared" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's suppressive government.

Speaking to the reporters here, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "You are talking about National Herald, it is an intimidation attempt. They think they will be able to silence us with a little pressure...We won't be intimidated. We are not scared of Narendra Modi. They can do whatever they want..."

ED in April this year examined senior Congress leader Kharge here in connection with its money laundering probe into the National Herald case and recorded his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The National Herald case pertains to the alleged financial irregularities under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and was registered about nine months ago after a trial court took cognisance of an Income Tax department probe carried out on the basis of a private criminal complaint filed by former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Subramanian Swamy in 2013.

The petitioner had approached the court alleging that the assets of Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which published the National Herald newspaper, were fraudulently acquired and transferred to Young Indian Pvt Limited (YIL), in which Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi owned 38 per cent shares each.Swamy had alleged that the Gandhis cheated and misappropriated funds, with YIL paying only Rs 50 lakh to obtain the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore that AJL owed to Congress.

The raids were conducted days after the investigative agency questioned Congress interim-president Sonia Gandhi for nearly three hours on July 27. It was the third round of questioning of the senior leader in the case.

Following the summoning of Sonia Gandhi by the ED, Congress workers and leaders staged protests in various parts of the country alleging misuse of probe agencies by the government. Sonia Gandhi was questioned by ED on July 26 also. She had reached the ED office accompanied by her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.Officials said on that day, the party president's response was sought to around 30 questions regarding her involvement with the National Herald newspaper and Young Indian Pvt Ltd.During her questioning, the Lok Sabha MP from Rae Bareli was asked about the functioning and running of the newspaper, the role of its various office bearers. Prior to that, she was also questioned by ED on July 21.

Further, in June this year, the ED questioned Rahul Gandhi for five days. Rahul Gandhi was questioned by the ED for over 27 hours for three straight days from June 13 to June 15 and was again summoned on June 20. On June 20, he was questioned for around 14 hours.

The Congress leader was deposed before the ED investigators in the case for the first time on June 13.He initially sought an exemption from appearance on June 16, following which he was called on June 17. But the senior Congress leader wrote to the ED to postpone his questioning citing the illness of his mother Sonia Gandhi.The ED then allowed him to join the probe on June 20 at his request. (ANI)

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