HC seeks reply from Gandhis, others

NEW DELHI: The Delhi HC on Monday sought responses of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul and others accused in the National Herald case, on a plea by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy seeking to lead evidence before the trial court. Justice Suresh Kait, while issuing notice to the Gandhis, AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda and Young India (YI), sought their stand on Swamy’s plea by April 12 and stayed the proceedings in the case till then.

Advocate Satya Sabharwal, appearing for the BJP MP, and advocate Tarannum Cheema, appearing for the Gandhis and others, confirmed that the high court has issued notice in the matter and stayed the trial court proceedings till April 12.

Swamy has moved the high court aggrieved by a trial court order of February 11 declining, for now, his plea to lead evidence to prosecute the Gandhis and the other accused in the case.

The trial court had said that Swamy’s application under section 244 of the CrPC to lead evidence would be considered after his examination in the case was over. Swamy has sought summoning of certain witnesses, including the secretary general (registry officer) of the SC, a deputy land and development officer, and a deputy commissioner of Income Tax, and also directions to them to prove certain documents which are part of the case.

In a private criminal complaint in the trial court, the BJP leader had accused the Gandhis and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by paying only ₹50 lakh, through which Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YI) obtained the right to recover ₹90.25 crore that Associate Journals Ltd, owner of National Herald, owed to the Congress.

All the seven accused had denied the allegations.