Kharge was seen leaving the building along with his personal staff members at around 8.30 pm (file photo)

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday raided the office of Young Indian and questioned Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge for over seven hours as part of a money laundering probe related to the National Herald case.

The officers provided this information.

80-year-old Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, reached Herald House building on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg near ITO at around 12.40 pm and met ED officials.

The ED had issued summons against him as the probe agency wanted Kharge to be present as the company's chief executive during the raids on the office of Young Indian.

Kharge was seen leaving the building along with his personal staff members at around 8.30 pm.

Senior Congress leader Kharge told reporters on his way that he "cannot make a statement as it is an investigation". Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are among the promoters and big shareholders of Young Indian.

Like her son, Congress President Sonia Gandhi also holds 38 per cent shares in the company.

The one-room office of the Young Indian, located on the first floor of the four-storey Herald House building, was temporarily sealed by the federal agency to "protect the evidence".

The agency could not conduct searches for the last two days due to the lock being locked and the unavailability of an authorized representative .

Senior Congress leader and party spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said the action against Kharge was "nothing but harassment".

He described it as "the peak of the Modi government's act of political vendetta".

The Office of the National Herald newspaper and web portal, which houses the staff of the editorial department and the administrative department, is located on the fourth floor of the Herald House.

The National Herald newspaper is published by Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and Young Indian, the company that owns it.

The office of the newspaper is registered in the name of AGL.

Earlier on Tuesday, the ED had raided dozens of places, including the Herald House, in connection with the money laundering probe related to the National Herald-AGL-Young Indian deal.

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