NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday said it has attached assets worth Rs 751.9 crore in connection with a money laundering probe against the National Herald newspaper, owned by Congress-linked Young India Limited.A provisional order has been issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against the newspaper's publisher Associated Journals Ltd.(AJL) and its holding company Young India, the central probe agency said in a statement."Investigation revealed that AJL is in possession of proceeds of crime in the form of immovable properties spread across Delhi, Mumbai and Lucknow to the tune of Rs 661.69 crore and Young India (YI) is in possession of proceeds of crime to the tune of Rs 90.21 crore in the form of investment in equity shares of AJL," the ED added.

The agency had questioned and recorded the statements of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge in this case.Deceit, lies and falsehood: CongressReacting to the seizure of AJL assets by the ED, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said the development reflects "their desperation to divert attention from certain defeat in the ongoing elections in each state"."This is a prefabricated structure of deceit, lies and falsehood, of by and for the BJP, to divert, distract and digress in the middle of elections," he said, adding: "No BJP coalition partner - CBI, ED or IT - can prevent certain impending defeat of the BJP.""An assignment of loan without transfer of any immovable property or movement of money is being dressed up to justify attachment and freezing of assets of a company which runs an iconic voice of the Indian Independence movement the National Herald - only because it is linked to the Congress and its legacy.These petty vendetta tactics shall not frighten the Indian National Congress in any way," said Singhvi.(With inputs from agencies)