New Delhi, July 13 -- The Enforcement Directorate has said that senior Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi ran Young Indian (YI), a charitable organisation, clandestinely to profiteer illegally from the assets of Associate Journal Ltd (AJL). Appearing for ED on Saturday, additional solicitor general SV Raju defended the allegations of money laundering against the Gandhis and five other accused in National Herald case before special judge Vishal Gogne. The agency has alleged that the Gandhis acquired beneficial ownership of AJL's assets worth Rs.2,000 crore for a mere Rs.50 lakh that was paid to the Congress party. AJL was the parent company of the newspaper National Herald which was run by the Congress itself. "Young Indian was engaged in money laundering. it was registered as charitable organisation but the intended charity never saw the light of the day. why would a charitable organisation invest Rs.50 lakh to recover a debt of Rs.90 crores," ASG Raju said. Calling the arguments made by Gandhis' counsel untenable, ASG Raju said, "When you acquire a debt, the properties and other immoveable assets are also transferred. they (YI) showed that the loan given out to AJL was not recoverable and when AJL themselves said they were not in a position to pay, YI believed it when everyone knows the assets owned by AJL." During the last two hearings, counsels for the Gandhis argued that YI was trying to revive a debt-laden AJ in a bid to continue its legacy and ideals. ASG Raju, however, said that even after the cancellation of the charitable status of the company, Young Indian managed to arrange "sham funds" in the guise of donations to the tune of over Rs.18 crores. ASG Raju also highlighted the role played by Kolkata-based company Dotex Merchandise, one of the firms named as accused, in giving out cheques in exchange of cash payments. He also said that the donors were offered tickets to contest the 2019 general elections in exchange for the donations they made. The court has listed the matter for July 14....