A new low in politics: Sibal slams ED's attachment of National Herald assets
New Delhi (PTI): Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Wednesday slammed the Enforcement Directorate for attaching assets of the Congress-promoted National Herald newspaper and described it as a "new low in politics".
Sibal, a former Congress leader, also alleged that the probe agency has been acting at the behest of the "powers that be".
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) said on Tuesday that it has attached immovable assets and equity shares worth about Rs 752 crore as part of its ongoing money laundering investigation against the National Herald newspaper and companies linked to it.
The provisional attachment order came as elections in five states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram are in progress and the counting of votes is scheduled to be held on December 3.
In a post on X, Sibal said, "Young Indian(YI), Associated Journals Ltd(AJL), ED attaches 752cr worth properties of AJL. Allege: YI shareholders owners of AJL's assets Cheating and Breach of trust. Law: Shareholders are never owners of company's assets. YI a not for profit company. A new low in politics."
Speaking with PTI later, the senior advocate said, "When ignorance is bliss, it is a folly to be wise. I don't think the ED should be ignorant about the law. A shareholder is a shareholder, the property is owned by the company."
"If the company goes into liquidation... nothing comes to the shareholder. So who has cheated who? Where is the breach of trust? Who has conspired? I think they know the law. I think courts also know the law. So I am a little baffled," Sibal said.
But what has happened in the country today is that the ED is acting on the instructions of the powers that be, he said.
"The other thing which is more important is that it is a Section 25 company, it is not for profit. If AGL is wound up, it will go to another not for profit company. Young India will go to another not for profit company," Sibal said.
"The problem in this country is that we have a narrative that is associated with the media and the narrative is started by investigating agencies to destroy people's reputation. Now this trial will take years and the powers that be will go from speech to speech before 2024 polls... they will say see these people have cheated when we all know there is no basis for this," he added.
The Congress termed the ED action "petty vendetta tactics" and said the agency is a "coalition partner" of the BJP which, it claimed, is staring at a certain defeat in the assembly polls.
Sibal, who was a Union minister during UPA I and II, quit the Congress in May last year and was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an Independent member with the Samajwadi Party's support.
He has floated a non-electoral platform 'Insaaf' aimed at fighting injustice.
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India asks its nationals to avoid non-essential travel to Libya
New Delhi, Aug 6: India on Tuesday issued an advisory asking its nationals to "avoid non-essential travel" to Libya, in a partial modification of its 2016 advisory imposing ban on the Indian nationals travelling to the African country.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the Indian nationals in Libya are advised to "exercise caution" and "avoid inter-province travel by road" and remain in contact with the Indian Embassy in Tripoli.
"In partial modification of MEA's Press Release dated 23 May 2016 imposing ban on Indian nationals traveling to Libya and in response to our assessment of the prevailing security situation in Libya, Indian nationals are advised to avoid non-essential travel to Libya," it said.
The Indian nationals in Libya are advised to "exercise caution, avoid inter-province travel by road and remain in contact with the Indian Embassy in Tripoli at emergency phone number: +218943992046".
In its May 23, 2016 statement, the MEA had said that "in view of prevailing security situation in Libya, security threats and challenges to lives of Indian nationals in Libya, the Government of India has decided to impose travel ban on Indian nationals planning to travel to Libya irrespective of the purpose".
All immigration authorities have been notified in this respect, it had said.
"Indian nationals may please take note of the travel ban for compliance. The travel ban is effective from 3 May, 2016 till further orders," the 2016 statement said.
