New Delhi: A Delhi Court today dismissed the plea of BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy, seeking certain documents from the Congress party and Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) in the National Herald Case. Mr Swamy had filed a complaint in 2012 accusing Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and some other Congress leaders of conspiring to cheat in a land deal. Mr Swamy alleged that Congress has granted an interest-free loan of Rs 90.25 crore to the AJL, owner of the National Herald newspaper, which was either not repaid or 'repaid in case'. After hearing the submission, the Court on June 26, 2014, had summoned Ms Gandhi, Mr Gandhi, Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda as accused in the case.
Mrs Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mr Vora (AICC Treasurer), Mr Fernandes (AICC General Secretary), Mr Dubey and Mr Pitroda were summoned for alleged offenses under section 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) and section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. Metropolitan Magistrate has granted bail to Mrs Sonia, Rahul, Mr Vora, Mr Fernandes and Mr Dubey, Mr Pitroda in the month of December, 2015. Mr Swamy has filed an application before the trial court seeking summoning of certain documents while the Congress leaders and AJL sought the return of documents, including its 2010-2011 balance sheet, which had been submitted in the court. Mr Swamy had sought documents relating to a loan given by the Congress to the AJL in this application, the holding firm of the National Herald, saying these were necessary for the purpose of trial. Counsel appearing for the accused had submitted to the court that Mr Swamy was seeking a "fishing and roving enquiry" in the case by calling for documents from the party and the AJL as he wanted to make out a "new case" against them.
Metropolitan Magistrate Lovleen today after hearing the arguments on behalf of Mr Swamy and Defence Counsel rejected the application of Mr Swamy and granted him the last opportunity to submit the list of complainant, witnesses in the case in which he has accused the Gandhis and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by paying just Rs 50 lakh through which Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YI) obtained the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore which AJL owed to the Congress. The court has now adjourned the matter on February 10 for further proceedings. (UNI)