India’s Gandhis get bail after rare court date over alleged fraud

They had to navigate through jostling lawyers, journalists, security men and party workers to reach their cars.

Before all that, the winter chill was pierced by sloganeering cadre as Sonia and Rahul were joined by the likes of Manmohan Singh, Meira Kumar, Antony, Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka and others on the journey from the party office to court. They preferred to get off from their vehicles on the C-Hexagon road that encircles India Gate in New Delhi, and walked a few paces into the court premises. “The accused are reputed persons having deep political grassroots and there is no apprehension that they will flee”, said Metropolitan Magistrate Loveleen as she granted bail to the leaders.

Mir said the case had been dismissed by the court on several occasions and the BJP leadership was trying to frame the Congress leaders as part of its political vendetta. “We will give a determined fight”, former premier Singh told reporters.

Rahul Gandhi also accused the Modi government of levelling false allegations at their opponents. “After the mining scam came into light in Rajasthan cases were lodged against the Rajasthan PCC chief Sachin Pilot and former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot by way of vendetta politics”.

Swamy criticised the Congress for holding “processions and gatherings” ahead of Sonia and Rahul’s appearance in the court.

The Congress bosses say Opposition won’t bow down to “false allegations” by the Modi govt; next hearing on Feb 20. Taking potshots at the Prime Minister Modi, he said he himself had warned the judiciary against coming under the influence of “five-star activists”. “I will win this case”, he told reporters, adding that it was “an open and shut case and Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will be sentenced to serve prison time”.

Senior lawyers such as Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi appeared for the Gandhis during their 15-minute appearance in court. In any case, by no stretch of imagination, it can be said that no case for summoning petitioners as accused in the complaint in question is made out.

Ms Sonia Gandhi’s object appeared to be twofold: to emphasise that like her mother-in-law, she, too, was a victim of political persecution even as she told her party that if played right, it could be a turning point in the political fortunes of the Congress. “Truth shall prevail”, Vadra wrote in a Facebook post. The celebrations in the Congress Party thereafter, forces us to use this phrase “celebration of corruption”.

Swamy had filed the case in 2012 accusing the Gandhis and others – Moti Lal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda – of cheating and misappropriation of funds in acquiring the ownership of the now-defunct English daily National Herald. Asserting that Congress will continue to fight for the poor, the Congress vice-president said: “We will not budge an inch”.