Delhi HC issues Notice to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi due to Subramanian Swamy’s Plea

In a move that can be termed as a major setback to Congress, a Delhi High court on Saturday, the 27th August issued notices to the Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi and others accused in the National Herald case. The court asked the Congress and Associated Journals Limited (AJL) to submit documents such as balance sheets. This decision from the court comes on a plea filed by economist and BJP MP Subramaniam Swamy seeking these documents. The court’s decision comes weeks after the Delhi High Court in July had set aside a trial court’s orders requiring the Congress Party to submit its balance sheet for 2010-11. The trial court had also sought documents from the ministries of finance and corporate affairs and other agencies.

The National Herald scam is an ongoing case in a Delhi court filed by and politician Subramanian Swamy against politicians Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, their companies, and associated persons. As per the complaint filed in the court of the Metropolitan Magistrate, Indian National Congress granted an interest-free loan of 90.25 crores to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), owner of the National Herald newspaper. This paper was established by Jawaharlal Nehru and other freedom fighters in 1938. It was alleged that the loan was either not repaid or repaid in cash, which is in violation of Section 269T of the Income Tax Act, 1961. A closely held company, Young Indian, was incorporated in November 2010 with a capital of 50 lakh and it acquired almost all the shareholding of AJL and all its properties (alleged to be worth 5,000 crores of which are the major land holdings which are in the prime locations s of Delhi. ) Swamy alleged criminal misappropriation by both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The courts have determined that a prima facie case has been established in the matter.

In addition to Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, Congress leaders Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda, and the company Young Indian are amongst the list of accused in the case. Congress, however, has refused any wrong doings in the case and has said, it’s a result of Vendetta politics by BJP and it shall be dealt with in the court of law. But this case has put congress and it’s spearheads In a spot of bother and a political crisis situation.