BJP on summons to Sonia, Rahul: Nobody can ‘hide’ from law

The BJP on Monday welcomed the Delhi High Court order asking Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi to appear before a lower court in the National Herald case, saying they cannot “hide” from law, which was “taking its own course”.

“This is what happens when you buy such a huge property for a pittance. Law is taking its own course. They (Gandhis) had also gone to the court. Law is equal to the common man and Sonia Gandhi. They cannot hide from it,” BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters.

The court on Monday dismissed their pleas challenging summons issued to them in the National Herald case in which they have to appear before the trial court on Tuesday.

National Herald Case

• What - Subramanian Swamy, the then Janata Party president, >knocked the court's door raising questions over acquisition of a company that published the now-defunct National Herald newspaper to which Congress gave a loan of over Rs 90 crore.
• Who - Dr. Swamy alleged that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had floated a Section 25 company called ‘Young Indian’, which acquired Associated Journals, founded by late Jawaharlal Nehru, that published the National Herald and Quami Awaz .
• How - Dr. Swamy >claimed it was illegal for Congress, a political party, to give loans for commercial purposes. Young Indian wrote off the loans due to Congress for a mere Rs 50 lakh and by a board resolution, the Associate Journals is sold by transfer of shares to Young Indian, which is not a newspaper or journal producing company.
• Why - The deal, Dr. Swamy alleged, was to grab prized property like Herald House in Delhi and other properties of the Associated Journals in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
• Then - Rahul Gandhi >threatened legal action against Dr. Swamy. Congress challenged Dr. Swamy to prove his allegations in a court of law. As Dr. Following Dr. Swamy's plea, a Delhi court >ordered the Gandhis to appear before it on August 7, which was >challeged in High Court.
• Next - Following the High Court’s order, the Congress leaders will have to appear before a Metropolitan Magistrate in whose court the hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.