Today, On 27th February, The Delhi High Court extended the stay on trial proceedings in the National Herald case. On February 22, 2021, the court issued notices to the Gandhis, late Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and Young Indian (YI). It sought their response to Subramanian Swamy’s plea and put the trial on hold until further orders. The case remains pending as the court awaits further developments.
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court extended the stay on the trial court proceedings in the National Herald case involving Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others.
Justice Vikas Mahajan scheduled the next hearing for July 28 regarding a plea from former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Subramanian Swamy.
The parties are expected to submit their written arguments concerning Swamy’s request to present certain evidence in the trial court.
Swamy and senior counsel RS Cheema, representing the Gandhis, requested additional time to file these submissions. Swamy argued that there should not be a stay on the investigation, while Cheema, along with advocate Tarannum Cheema, contended that the case stemmed from a private complaint and that no investigation was taking place.
Swamy has accused the Gandhis and others of conspiring to defraud and misappropriate funds by paying only Rs 50 lakh, which allowed Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YI) to claim Rs 90.25 crore owed by Associate Journals Ltd, the owner of National Herald, to the Congress party.
All accused parties, including the Gandhis, AICC treasurer Motilal Vora, AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and YI, have denied the allegations.
Swamy approached the high court following a trial court order from February 11, 2021, which denied his request to present evidence to prosecute the Gandhis and the other accused.
He sought to summon several witnesses, including the Supreme Court’s secretary general (registry officer), a deputy land and development officer, and a deputy commissioner of Income Tax, along with requesting them to authenticate certain documents.
Proceedings against Vora were discontinued in the trial court due to his death, while other accused were summoned in 2014 for alleged offenses of misappropriation of property, criminal breach of trust, cheating, and conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code.