National Herald case: Plea in HC seeks quashing of summons to Sonia, Rahul

New Delhi: Petitions were today filed in the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of a lower court order summoning Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and four others in a case relating to acquiring ownership of the now-defunct daily National Herald. The lower court order had come on a complaint by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy alleging cheating and misappropriation of funds in the acquisition of the daily by Young Indian (YI), a company in which Sonia, Rahul, party treasurer Moti Lal Vora are among the directors. [caption id=“attachment_1641927” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. PTI[/caption] A petition was filed on behalf of Vora while pleas were understood to have been filed on behalf of the other accused also. “Set aside the order dated June 26, 2014 passed by the Metropolitan Magistrate-02, Patiala House Courts, New Delhi and set aside/quash the criminal complaint filed by Respondent 2 (Swamy) pending before Metropolitan Magistrate-02, Patiala House Courts, New Delhi in so far as it relates to the present petitioners,” Vora’s petition said. The trial court on June 26 had summoned Sonia, Rahul, Vora, party General Secretary Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda to appear before it on 7 August. While summoning the six as accused in the case, the trial court had held that Swamy has established a prima facie case of cheating, misappropriation of funds and criminal breach of trust against them. Swamy had accused Sonia and Rahul Gandhi and others of 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 the AJL had owed to the Congress party. PTI