New York, August 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda has said the prolonged National Herald case has damaged his reputation in the United States, arguing that unproven allegations of money laundering can have consequences beyond Indian politics.
In an exclusive interview with IANS, Pitroda questioned why the case had continued for around 15 years without reaching a conclusion, saying prolonged legal proceedings could themselves become a form of punishment for those named.
“You are in power. You accuse everybody. You even put that it is money laundering. You haven’t proved anything, but look at the damage it does,” Pitroda said.
Pitroda, who has lived in the US for more than six decades, said online references linking his name to a money laundering case could raise concerns with American financial institutions.
“What does it do to me? My bank will say, oh, what happened, Mr. Pitroda? Well, I can’t explain to them what National Herald and, you know, political bias and all that,” he said.
He called for greater fairness and restraint in making allegations against political opponents, saying, “So be nice to others. Have some decency.”
His remarks came during a broader discussion on India’s judicial system and the large backlog of cases. Pitroda argued that delays in delivering justice allow allegations to remain associated with individuals for years.
“Why can’t we settle court cases and bring justice so that we can provide justice in one year and not 18 years or 20 years?” he asked.
Pitroda suggested that artificial intelligence and decentralised administration could be used to address the backlog, including by giving districts greater responsibility for resolving cases pending within their jurisdictions.
He also questioned the independence of democratic institutions, including the judiciary and the Election Commission, alleging that political pressure had affected their functioning.
“Let’s look at the track record now. You think election commission is independent in India? I don’t think so,” he said, adding that he believed institutions had been “captured”.
Pitroda contrasted the situation with the tenure of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying he was not aware of the Prime Minister’s Office exerting pressure on the judiciary or using the Enforcement Directorate against political opponents during that period.
The National Herald case relates to allegations concerning the transfer of control of Associated Journals Limited, publisher of the National Herald, to Young Indian. The Enforcement Directorate has named Pitroda, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, among others, in its money laundering complaint. The accused and the Congress have rejected the allegations and described the proceedings as politically motivated.
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