National Herald case: Patiala House Court issues notice to Sonia, Rahul Gandhi and five others

New Delhi, Aug 27: The Patiala House Court today issued notice to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Vice President Rahul Gandhi and five others on BJP leader Subramanian Swamy’s application.

Swamy’s application comprised seeking the summoning of documents from Associated Journal Limited and Congress.The next date of hearing is scheduled to be on 4 October where all the accused have been asked to file response on the same.

In July, Swamy told the Delhi court that he would file a fresh application for summoning of documents in the National Herald case in which Congress President Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi and others are accused.

All the accused have denied the allegations leveled against them by Swamy. Earlier in 2015, the Delhi High Court had rejected pleas by Sonia and Rahul to quash trial court summons against them in the National Herald case

n a statement, Swamy had said, “There is no way I can be restricted from getting these copies (of document) again. I will file a complete application for summoning of documents.

The order (of high court) does not say that these documents should be returned. The high court says I can move fresh application. I will move application for summoning of documents as permitted by high court”, as quoted by Indian Express.

Swamy, the petitioner in the National Herald case, also took a dig at Rahul while explaining why he asked for travel restrictions against the Gandhis.”These people have a habit of disappearing sometimes, they disappear for 57 days without giving notice,” he said.

Swamy, in 2012 filed a case before the trial court against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, party leaders Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda and Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YI) alleging that all of these were involved in cheating and breach of trust in the acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) by Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YIL).

The BJP leader had accused them of allegedly conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by just paying Rs 50 lakh by which YI obtained the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore which Associated Journals Pvt Ltd (AJL) owed to the Congress party.

The Congress described the National Herald case as a part of the rich and vibrant legacy of freedom struggle and said that is why it supported the newspaper. According to NDTV, the grand old party said that it was inextricably linked to the newspaper since it was founded in 1937.