AMN /
Delhi High Court today refused to quash lower court’s summons to Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. The Court also declines to grant them exemption from personal appearance before trial court in the matter.
Justice Sunil Gaur dismissed their pleas which means they will have to appear before the trial court in the case. Apart from the Gandhis, the court also dismissed the pleas of Congress treasurer Motilal Vora, family friend Suman Dubey and party leader Oscar Fernandes who had moved the high court for quashing of summons to them by a trial court.
On 26 June, the trial court issued summons to the Congress leaders on BJP leader Subramanian Swamy’s complaint. He has complained about “cheating” and breach of trusts in the acquisition of Associated Journals Limited – the publisher of National Herald – by a company called Young Indian Limited, in which the Gandhis reportedly hold shares.
Started in 1938 by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, the National Herald’s circulation and financial health steadily deteriorated, leading to its closure in 2008 with a debt of over Rs 90 crore. Dr Swamy accused the Congress of loaning this money to Associated Journals Ltd and then assigning the debt to Young India Limited for Rs 50 lakh. The BJP leader said the transaction amounted to cheating and a breach of trust. Swamy claimed that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, benefited from the acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd as majority shareholders of Young India Limited. The two leaders own stake of 38 percent each in the firm.
Congress to challenge High Court’s decision
The Congress party and its lawyers have repeatedly said there was no wrongful gain or loss in the transaction.
Meanwhile, Congress has said that it will challenge Delhi High Court’s decision in the National Herald case. Talking to media, party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi claimed the decision is legally unsustainable. Mr Singhvi said it is strange that Dr Subramaniam Swamy is making allegions of cheating when not a single person of Congress party has claimed to have been cheated. He said they will raise the issue of locus standi and challenge it on all available legal forum.
On the other hand, BJP has said that law will take its own course and the Gandhis are not above it. Briefing media in New Delhi this afternoon, party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said that Sonia and Rahul Gandhi must face the country’s law.