New Delhi, Jun 13 (IANS): The questioning of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate has once again started after a break of a couple of hours in connection with the National Herald case.

During the lunch break, the Congress leader met his mother Sonia Gandhi, who is currently admitted at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

According to the sources, during the first round of questioning, Gandhi was asked about his assets and bank accounts in and outside the country. "He was asked about his assets abroad," sources said.

According to an official, three senior officials of the financial probe agency questioned the former Congress president. "The team consisted of two Assistant Directors and one Deputy Director," said the official.

Earlier, Gandhi reached the ED office located at Paryavaran Bhavan on Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road in the city amidst heavy police force that was deployed to restrain party workers from carrying out a rally from Congress HQ to the ED office. On the way, Rahul was accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, however, she left minutes after they reached the ED office.

Apart from Rahul, his mother and interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi has also been summoned in the same case. She will appear before the financial probe agency on June 23.

Meanwhile, several Congress party leaders were detained after they protested against their leader Rahul Gandhi's questioning by the ED. The detainees included Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, Harish Rawat, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, K.C. Venugopal, Deepender Hooda and Pawan Khera among several others.

The partymen were kept at different police stations of the city. Some were taken to Mandir Marg police station while some were held at Fatehpur Beri, Tughlaq Road Police Station etc. Pawan Khera said the party will not cow down to the pressure of the Modi government. "We have been trying since morning to reach the ED office and we will keep trying," he had said.