Delhi High Court Extends Stay On Trial In National Herald Case
The Delhi High Court has extended the stay on the Trial Court's proceedings in the National Herald case involving Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others.
A Single Bench of Justice Vikas Mahajan posted the hearing on a plea by former BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) MP (Member of Parliament) Subramanian Swamy on July 28 in this case.
The parties are expected to file their written submissions on the plea which seeks to lead certain evidence in the Trial Court.
Senior Advocate R S Cheema, representing the Congress leaders, sought time to file the written submissions.
Swamy said that there should not be any stay on the investigation in the case but Senior Advocate Cheema, along with Advocate Tarannum Cheema, contended that the case arises from a Private Complaint and there was no investigation as such anyway.
Swamy has accused the Gandhis and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by paying Rs. 50 lakhs, through which Young Indian Pvt. Ltd. (YI) obtained the right to recover Rs. 90.25 crores that Associate Journals Ltd, owner of National Herald, owed to the Congress. All the accused persons i.e., the Gandhis, AICC treasurer Motilal Vora, AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and YI have denied such allegations.
Swamy approached the High Court against a Trial Court's Order dated February 11, 2021 declining his plea to lead evidence to prosecute the Gandhis and the other accused in the case. He sought summoning of certain witnesses, including the Secretary General (Registry Officer) of the Supreme Court, a Deputy Land and Development Officer, and a Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax, apart from directing them to prove certain documents.
Earlier on February 22, 2021, the High Court had issued notice to the accused persons and sought their response on Swamy's plea and stayed the proceedings in the case till further Orders.
Proceedings against Vora abated in the Trial Court following his death whereas others were summoned by the Trial Court in 2014 for the alleged offences of misappropriation of property, criminal breach of trust and cheating, read with criminal conspiracy of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
With PTI Inputs
