National News
Patel’s alarm, Nehru’s ‘dismissal’: The origins of the National Herald storm
New Delhi, April 17: A series of letters exchanged between Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru in May 1950, as documented in the book Sardar Patel’s Correspondence, suggest that Patel expressed concerns to Nehru regarding the use of the ‘National Herald’ for fundraising purposes. These letters indicate that Patel cautioned Nehru about “the potential misuse of government influence in financial dealings” and advised against accepting contributions from “questionable” sources.
The old correspondence between Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru has resurfaced at the heart of political debate, following the Enforcement Directorate’s chargesheet against former Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The charges, tied to alleged money laundering in the National Herald case, have brought renewed attention to Patel’s early warnings about financial misconduct linked to the publication—warnings that now seem strikingly relevant.
In fact, The National Herald has been entangled in controversy since the early days of independent India. Letters exchanged between Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru in 1950 are frequently referenced to point out that questions around the paper’s financial conduct and political misuse were being raised even then.
In 1950, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel explicitly warned Jawaharlal Nehru about dubious fundraising tactics and the ‘misuse’ of government machinery to prop up the National Herald. These serious concerns revealed Patel’s clear discomfort with the ethical and political implications of such actions. Despite the gravity of the warnings, Nehru apparently chose to brush them aside.
Are Sardar Patel’s decades-old warnings proving to be prophetic? The question is echoing across political debates following the Enforcement Directorate’s chargesheet against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, accusing them of orchestrating a “criminal conspiracy” to usurp properties worth Rs 2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), the publisher of the National Herald. What began as a stern caution from one of India’s foremost statesmen in 1950 has, according to political analysts referencing Patel’s letters, now spiralled into an allegedly full-blown scandal that “underscores a legacy of alleged misuse of power and political entitlement”.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel raised the red flag in a series of pointed letters to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. On May 5, 1950, Patel wrote to Nehru expressing grave concern over a Rs 75,000 donation to the National Herald from two individuals associated with Himalayan Airways. The airline had reportedly obtained a government contract for night air mail services by circumventing objections from the Indian Air Force. Observers say that it was an early sign of “political favouritism and backroom dealings”.
Patel didn’t mince words. He highlighted that one of the donors, Akhani, was already facing multiple charges of bank fraud. Even more damning was Patel’s accusation that Union Minister Ahmed Kidwai was abusing his official position to collect funds for the Herald, including money from controversial businessmen in Lucknow such as J.P. Srivastava.
Nehru’s reply, sent the same day, was “vague and dismissive”– attempting to pacify Patel without allegedly addressing the core concerns. He mentioned having asked his son-in-law, Feroze Gandhi, then General Manager of the Herald, to look into the matter. According to an analyst, Nehru’s tone as reflected in the letter was non-committal, brushing the issue aside as though it were an unfortunate misunderstanding.
Patel, undeterred, responded the very next day, May 6, 1950. He saw through the deflection as he wrote to Nehru in detail, explaining how certain private companies and their shareholders were involved in the process. Sardar Patel noted, “Some contributions did not come from those involved in running the department. Otherwise, to my knowledge, the number of contributions received was sufficient and involved other individuals as well. The transactions I have referred to are of a different nature. There is no element of charity in them.”
In his follow-up, Nehru again “tried to distance himself from the paper and its finances”, claiming he hadn’t been involved with the National Herald or its fundraising for three years and had passed the responsibility to a woman named Mridula. He admitted “some mistakes may have occurred” but continued to what was seen by many as his attempt to “justify” the questionable transactions as part of a legitimate business proposition, even calling it a matter of “loss and profit” — not charity.
This point was highlighted by BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi who stated that on May 6, 1950, Jawaharlal Nehru wrote a letter to Sardar Patel saying, “Herald is a good business proposition and its preference shares and debentures are not a bad investment.”
It was said during Nehru’s time that the investment made in the National Herald could be profitable. This is a good business investment, so its shares or debentures cannot be considered harmful, said Trivedi referring to correspondence.
The direct implication is that from the very beginning, this investment was linked to profit, business, and property, he added. “Today, the Congress party should be asked this ethical question: when this was always a business plan, how can it suddenly be linked to charity or donations given during the freedom struggle?” he said.
This was the breaking point for Patel.
In his final letter dated May 10, 1950, he made it clear that the issue was about integrity, accountability, and the misuse of political power. As Home Minister, he expressed deep concern over the ‘dishonesty’ surrounding the Herald’s funding and the dubious individuals involved.
He rejected Nehru’s defence outright, calling out the rot at the core of what was being portrayed as a freedom movement legacy.
Sardar Patel wrote, “In light of these events, I do not think there is any benefit in pursuing this matter further. I have already told you how I view these activities, and I doubt that if this happened in any other province and I had any connection to it, I would not accept this situation.”
According to Trivedi, this clearly means that he had become disillusioned and did not want to talk about it again. “Now, Congress should explain what kind of sacrifice and dedication this was,” Trivedi asked.
According to political observers, Patel’s firm stance exposed a deeper malaise — a troubling pattern of entitlement, favouritism, and ethical compromise that would resurface decades later. His warnings, largely ignored at the time, now seem eerily prophetic.
National News
Exciting to be part of different energy when Rohit, Virat are around: Bavuma

Ranchi, Nov 29: South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said it will be exciting to be part of a different kind of energy on the field when India stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are present for the ODI series opener, to be held at the JSCA International Stadium on Sunday.
With Rohit and Kohli back in action after playing in the ODI series against Australia in October, the chatter has been huge over whether the veteran duo can sustain their form and fitness to feature in the 50-over World Cup two years from now.
For now, everyone’s focus will be on how the duo fare against the Bavuma-led Proteas in Ranchi, Raipur and Visakhapatnam. “I think it’s exciting, right? It’s exciting for the locals, having the two living legends come back and play on Indian soil for a while.”
“So it’s exciting for us to be a part of a different type of energy when those two big guys are around. So it’s something that we’ll be looking forward to,” said Bavuma in a video posted by Star Sports on their Instagram account on Saturday.
Asked about the plans South Africa will have for getting the better of the veteran batting duo, Bavuma said, “I think like any other players, we will do our preparation around them, come up with whatever tactics that we come up with. But we know that the energy is going to be a little bit different, but it’s an exciting one.”
“From a captaincy point of view, I don’t think much really changes for my side. I think you obviously want to lead with the bat, and then you want to lead the guys out there tactically on the field. So, nothing really, I don’t think much really changes,” he added.
Crime
Bengal school job case: 269 ‘tainted’ teachers qualified for interview in fresh recruitment

Kolkata, Nov 29: The West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) has identified as many as 269 “tainted” teachers from the commission’s panel for 2016 who not only appeared for the fresh recruitment of primary teachers but also qualified for the interview.
In April this year, a division bench of the Supreme Court cancelled WBSSC’s entire panel for 2016 and barred the “tainted” teachers, who were proved beyond doubt of securing teaching jobs in state-run schools by paying money, from participating in the fresh recruitment process.
A petition was filed at the Calcutta High Court recently alleging that some “tainted” teachers not only participated in the written examination for fresh recruitment of higher secondary teachers in September this year but also qualified for the interview.
These “tainted” teachers, WBSSC sources said, got interview-qualified by taking advantage of the new weightage criterion, carrying 10 marks for past teaching experience.
The commission, thereafter, reviewed the background of the interview-qualified candidate and identified the 269 “tainted” teachers from the 2016 panel who qualified for the interview.
The commission had rejected the candidature of these 269 “tainted” teachers for the fresh recruitment process.
However, WBSSC sources said that even this list, if not final, and in the future, if more such interview-qualified “tainted” teachers are identified, their candidatures would also be cancelled.
On Friday, while hearing on the petition filed in the matter, Calcutta High Court’s single-judge bench of Justice Amrita Sinha questioned the basis on which WBSSC determined the “untainted” teachers from the commission’s 2016 panel, which would be deemed eligible for participation in the fresh recruitment of secondary and higher secondary teachers this year.
Justice Sinha raised the critical question on the basis on which WBSSC will determine which candidates will be eligible for the 10-mark weightage criterion for past teaching experience.
She also said that, apparently, it seemed that several eligible candidates were deprived of participating in the fresh recruitment process because of new rules introduced in the fresh recruitment process.
However, her bench did not give any specific direction on the matter.
The next date of hearing will be on December 1, when the counsels of the state government and WBSSC will present their arguments in the matter.
Crime
Bombay HC Grants Interim Relief To Ultra Lifespace, Directors In ₹38.12-Crore FIR Case

The Bombay High Court has granted interim relief to Ultra Lifespace Pvt Ltd and its three directors Mayank Shah, Jignesh Shah, and Tushar Shah in connection with an FIR alleging cheating of Rs38.12 crore. A bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Sandesh Patil, on November 19, directed that the investigation continue till the next hearing on December 10, but no chargesheet should be filed in the meantime.
The directors have sought quashing of the FIR, first registered at Bandra police station and later transferred to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW). Their lawyers, Aabad Ponda and Sujay Kantawala, argued that the matter stems from a commercial dispute and not a criminal offence.
The case originates from a complaint by Vijay Thakkar, 54, a builder from Vile Parle (West), who in 2014 booked three flats in a Bandra Reclamation project developed by Satra Buildcon Pvt Ltd (SBPL). Two flats were priced at Rs11 crore and the third at Rs11.75 crore. Thakkar paid Rs7.33 crore, after which a registered agreement was executed.
Under the agreement, construction was to be completed by December 2017, with the occupancy certificate (OC) within a year. In case of delay, the buyer was entitled to a refund with 18% interest, which Thakkar sought when the project failed to meet the deadline. SBPL later assured possession by December 2019 after redevelopment, but the project was subsequently handed over to Ultra Lifespace.
Ultra Lifespace obtained the OC in 2020 and began giving possession to other buyers. Thakkar alleges he was denied possession of all three flats and approached MahaRERA, which directed Ultra Lifespace to hand over possession and refund pending dues with interest. Thakkar claims Rs30.76 crore is owed and, along with Rs7.35 crore paid for development and maintenance, brings his total claimed loss to Rs38.12 crore.
Thakkar eventually lodged a complaint with the EOW alleging cheating and criminal breach of trust.
Ultra Lifespace directors argue that Thakkar misused police machinery to settle a civil dispute and suppressed crucial facts. They maintain that the original sale was completed under Praful N Satra, former director of SBPL. They claim Thakkar paid only Rs5.23 crore of the total Rs33 crore, leaving Rs27.77 crore unpaid.
The petition also alleges fabricated ante-dated letters from March 2018, permitting deferred payment after the OC. An FIR regarding this alleged forgery had already been lodged, which Thakkar allegedly concealed.
The Mayank Shah group took over SBPL in August 2019, later renaming it Ultra Lifespace. After the takeover, they secured the OC on March 2, 2020, and sent repeated reminders to Thakkar for outstanding dues. Both parties have challenged the MahaRERA order before the appellate tribunal and the High Court, where the matter remains pending.
The plea concludes that no ingredients of cheating are made out, noting: “Surprisingly, no allegation is made against Praful Satra.”
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