New Delhi: With Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi set to appear in the Patiala House Court in connection with the National Herald case at 3:00 pm today, security has been beefed up.
According to party sources, the Congress is open to avail all legal remedies and options.
Sonia and Rahul were summoned by the Court after a criminal complaint by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy for alleged cheating and misappropriation of funds by them in acquiring ownership of now-defunct daily National Herald.
The National Herald newspaper was closely associated with India`s freedom struggle and the Indian National Congress till 2008.
In January 2008, discussions about its closure began. On 1 April 2008, the paper`s editorial announced that it was temporarily suspending operations. Before its closure, the paper was being run by Associated Journals Limited (AJL).
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy filed the case in a local court in 2012. The trial court then issued summons to the two leaders among others in June 2014, but they approached the Delhi High Court seeking a stay.
On Monday this week, the high court refused to stay the summons, and asked all of the accused to appear for a hearing on December 19.
The accused face allegations that they illegally acquired property worth Rs. 5,000 crore belonging to the National Herald newspaper.
