New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) The Congress on Monday slammed the Centre over the filing of a fresh FIR in the National Herald case, describing the move as "harassment" by the Enforcement Directorate and a tactic by the Modi government to divert public attention from real issues.

Speaking to reporters here, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the ED and the BJP government deserve a "Nobel Prize for fabricating a crime where none has been committed".

He described the action as a tactic to divert public attention from the country's major problems like "deteriorating" economy, unemployment and a "failed" foreign policy.

"The ED sees it as a case of money laundering where no money movement has taken place," the Congress leader said.

The Delhi Police has filed an FIR against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and other accused in the National Herald case on a complaint by the ED as part of the agency's money laundering probe into the high-profile case that alleges that the Gandhi family "abused" their position for personal gains.

Singhvi recounted the history of Associated Journals Limited, the company that publishes the National Herald, and explained its financial restructuring process. He pointed out that National Herald stood up to the British during the freedom movement.

It has often been observed that institutions founded on idealism have failed to perform well and this is precisely what has happened with AJL, he said.

He claimed that to keep the torch of ideals burning, the Congress provided loans to AJL and to free the company from debt, it was decided to convert the loans into equity, which was a common practice in businesses.

Singhvi said that AJL's debt was transferred to Young Indian, resulting in Young Indian holding 99 per cent of AJL's shareholding. He stressed that, as a not-for-profit company, Young Indian cannot make any profit, nor do its directors receive any salary or allowances.

Since no money was transacted, no profit was earned, and no movable or immovable property was transferred, the question of money laundering does not arise in this entire matter, the Congress leader claimed.

He questioned the ED's motive behind the current action, pointing out that a chargesheet has already been filed in this case, which is currently pending in the Rouse Avenue Special Court.

Singhvi said that he had argued four months ago that since there is no government complaint in this case, the ED has no role to play, and the court's decision is still pending.

"The BJP's politics is to tire out the opposition, embellish lies, and manipulate the agencies.

"This is a bizarre situation. No crime, no cash, no trail to find. The BJP still conjures a case of its own twisted mind. If justice is blind, then ED is colourblind — it only sees one colour, the opposition colour," he said.

"It is a case with no money movement, no movement of immovable property, and no mischief, yet the ED, in its imagination, sees money laundering," he claimed.

"Fiction has found a uniform. If vendetta were the syllabus, the BJP would graduate with honours. From a private complaint to a public circus, the National Herald case is the BJP's recycled obsession. The BJP manufactures a crime where none exists," Singhvi asserted.

"This is not the National Herald case, it's the National Harassment case," he claimed. PTI SKC SKC KVK KVK

National Herald fresh FIR alleges money laundering; Congress calls ED action harassment and politically motivated. A fresh FIR has been filed in the National Herald matter as part of an ED money laundering probe, while the Congress asserts there was no movement of money, no transfer of property, and no profits, noting that debt was converted into equity held by Young Indian, a not for profit entity with no remuneration to directors; a chargesheet is already pending in the trial court and the party questions the ED's jurisdiction and motives.