Mumbai, Apr 19 (PTI) Union minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday said the action by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the National Herald case is aimed at protecting the nation’s assets from being “taken over by the Gandhi family for personal use”.

Goyal alleged that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were involved in a conspiracy to take control of the property, originally meant for public interest, through the now-defunct National Herald newspaper.

“The ED’s action in the National Herald case is to save the nation’s assets,” the Union commerce minister told reporters here.

Such property should be returned to the people, he said.

“It should be utilised for the people and not the Gandhi family, which was trying to keep it for its own interests,” he claimed.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others on charges of money laundering in the National Herald case. PTI ND NR