Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has sought three weeks' time to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the National Herald case. She had last week tested positive for COVID-19.

She has isolated herself after suffering from mild fever, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said. She has yet not tested negative, news agency ANI quoted sources as saying.

"She is improving but is still COVID positive and doctors have instructed her to take rest. The medical reports of June 2 and June 7 have also been sent to the ED and three-week time has been sought while the leader is yet to get a reply on it and to get a fresh date for the appearance," sources said.

The Congress president was supposed to be questioned in connection with the money laundering case at the ED office in Delhi on June 8, Wednesday. However, owing to her illness, she skipped the summons issued by the probe agency.

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi, who was asked to join the probe on June 3, had also skipped the summons. He will now appear before the ED on June 13.

About National Herald case

The National Herald case pertains to the alleged financial irregularities in the party-promoted Young Indian that owns the National Herald newspaper. The National Herald is published by Associated Journals Limited (AJL).

The first family of the Congress, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, are among the promoters and shareholders of Young Indian.

Earlier, BJP MP Subramanian Swamy 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 the Congress. He had filed a complaint with a Delhi court. Following this, the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The ED is currently investigating the shareholding pattern and financial transactions as well as the role of party functionaries in the functioning of the AJL and Young Indian Private Limited (YIL). Therefore, the ED wants to record the statements of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi under criminal sections of the PMLA.

(Edited by : Akriti Anand)