Nat Herald case: Sonia, Rahul granted bail

Amid tight security AICC chief Sonia Gandhi and her son and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi reached the Patiala court to appear in the National Herald Case on Saturday.

The Patiala residence court gave them bail on private bond of Rs 50,000 each and one surety each. He also confirmed that Gandhis were made to stand in the corner meant for the accused in the court.

Earlier, Manmohan Singh and a host of Congress leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Ambika Soni, Shiela Dikshit, Ashwini Kumar, Meira Kumar arrived at the court complex shortly before the hearing was to commence at 3 pm.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took surety for Rahul Gandhi and A K Antony took surety for Sonia Gandhi.

“Swamy urged the Court that some condition should be imposed on the travel of the accused out of India”. The argument of Subramanian Swamy, demanding the confiscation of the passports of Sonia, Rahul Gandhi, Suman Dubey, Oscar Fernandes and Sam Pitroda, was dismissed by the court.

“If the facts are strong, it doesn’t matter whether the person who has brought it to the notice of the court has done it out of vendetta or not”, Swamy added.

Swamy further denied Congress’ allegations of political vendetta and him being a “mask” for Narendra Modi, saying he had “never spoken to the Prime Minister formally in his office on this question”.

The Congress leaders will appear before a district court in Delhi. 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.

Their lawyers, Mr. Sibal and Mr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, briefed newspersons about the proceedings in the court.

After the Gandhis were granted bail, Congress leader Kapil Sibal told reporters: “Bail to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have been granted without condition”.

The petitioner, Subramanian Swamy of the ruling BJP party, says the Gandhis took over the National Herald newspaper for its property assets.

He has accused the Gandhis and four others of attempting to illegally acquire real estate worth thousands of crores belonging to the National Herald, a newspaper founded by Jawaharlal Nehru and now defunct. “He is not facing any threat from any terrorist organisation…The bungalow was given as an award for dragging the Congress leadership to court”, said Azad.

The Delhi high court on 7 December rejected the Gandhis’ plea to be exempted from making a personal appearance in the district court.