Subramanian Swamy files caveat in SC over National Herald case

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Monday filed a caveat in the Supreme Court to pre-empt any ex-parte order on appeals likely to be filed by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul in the ongoing National Herald case.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Monday filed a caveat in the Supreme Court to pre-empt any ex-parte order on appeals likely to be filed by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul in the ongoing National Herald case.

BJP leader Dr Subramanian Swamy has filed a caveat in the Supreme Court to ensure that any petition filed by Sonia Gandhi or her son Rahul in the National Herald case cannot be heard without him being heard.(HT Photo)

“I have filed a caveat in the Supreme Court that in case they file any petition, it should not be heard and no order be passed without giving me an opportunity or without hearing me,” he said.

Sonia and Rahul’s pleas challenging summons issued to them in the case was dismissed by the Delhi high court which also declined their plea for exemption from personal appearance in the lower court.

The Gandhis and the other five accused--Suman Dubey, Moti Lal Vohra, Oscar Fernandez, Sam Pitroda and Young India Ltd-- are likely to appear in the trial court on Tuesday, before which the case will come up.

The summons were issued on a criminal complaint lodged by Swamy for alleged cheating and misappropriation of funds in acquiring ownership of now-defunct daily paper, the National Herald.

The Congress party had loaned Rs 90.25 crore to Associated Journals Ltd. (AJL), publisher of the National Herald, and on December 28, 2010 it had assigned this debt to Young Indian Ltd (YIL), the charitable company, for Rs 50 lakh, which, according to Swamy, amounted to breach of trust and cheating.