National Herald case: Sonia and Rahul Gandhi to face court on December 19

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday exempted Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, from having to appear personally for a day, but directed them to appear before it on December 19 over a National Herald cheating and misappropriation case.

Senior advocates Abhishek “Manu” Singhvi, Harin Raval and Ramesh Gupta, appearing for the Gandhis and other accused, moved separate pleas seeking exemption from personal appearance for their clients for a day. The court, after hearing their submission, granted exemption to the Gandhis.

Read: National Herald case: Not scared of anyone, I am Indira's daughter-in-law, says Sonia Gandhi

A combative Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, hit out at the Narendra Modi government, accusing it of pursuing a “political vendetta” against them in the National Herald case, and the party alleged such cases were being pushed as the BJP wanted a “Congress-free” India.

The Gandhis asserted that the truth will ultimately prevail despite the “vicious and malicious” attack on them. “I am the daughter-in-law of Indira Gandhi. I am not scared of anyone. I am not disturbed,” the Congress president told reporters after a Congress strategy meeting at Parliament House, invoking the legacy of the late Prime Minister.

Speaking in Cuddalore, Mr Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Centre thinks it can “stop him from asking questions” about the BJP government with its “vendetta” politics. “That is not going to happen. This is the way the Central government functions. I absolutely see a political vendetta,” he said.

Read: ‘Absolute political vendetta in National Herald case,' says Rahul Gandhi

The matter also led to trouble in Parliament, with both the Houses repeatedly adjourned, and no business could be conducted after Congress members disrupted proceedings, shouting slogans in the Well against the government on the Herald case, accusing the government of a vendetta.

The Congress members forced repeated adjournments in both Houses, shouting slogans. No business could be transacted before the final adjournment a little after 3 pm.

The allegations were strongly refuted by finance minister Arun Jaitley, who dared the Congress leaders for a debate on the matter and said Sonia and Rahul Gandhi should face trial. Mr Jaitley kept saying that the Congress and its leaders had a lot to answer for.

Read: National Herald case: Sam Pitroda likely to depose

The Congress also fielded three of its top lawyer leaders — Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Singhvi and Randeep Surjewala — who insisted that the government and the BJP were pushing such cases against Congress leaders as part of its strategy for a “Congress-mukt” India. Dubbing Dr Subramanian Swamy as “His Master’s Voice”, Mr Sibal alleged at the AICC briefing that the BJP leader had been specifically assigned to “persecute and prosecute” the Congress leadership and had been told to target them. “Who is Subramanian Swamy? He is the power of attorney of the BJP to persecute and prosecute the Congress Party. We are ready to face the magistrate,” Mr Sibal said. Mr Singhvi recalled that Dr Swamy had been acting against the Congress leadership for long to take out his “vendetta”. “The government has increased the politics of vendetta day by day since the last 18 months,” he said.

In the trial court, meanwhile, Mr Singhvi, while seeking exemption, told the court his clients were keen to appear before it and asked it to provide them a date of its choice and that of the convenience of Dr Subramanian Swamy. Dr Swamy opposed their move, saying in September the court had fixed the next date of hearing and Sonia, Rahul and five others should have appeared before the court.

“There are seven accused in the case. Rahul Gandhi has left for Chennai this morning,” he said, urging the court to dismiss their plea. The magistrate, after hearing both sides, allowed the defence counsel’s plea, and told the counsel to ensure that all the accused appear before the court on the next date of hearing on December 19.

“Make sure all the accused appear on December 19. I am giving exemption from personal appearance only for today. Don’t come in the morning on December 19. You come at 3 pm,” the magistrate said.

During the hearing, senior counsel Ramesh Gupta told the magistrate that accused Sam Pitroda was now in the United States and they will try to ensure he appears before the court on December 19. To this, the court asked them to ensure that all accused appear before it on December 19. Mr Rahul Gandhi had left Tuesday morning for a visit to flood-affected areas of Chennai and its suburbs as well as Puducherry.

The Delhi high court had on Monday rejected the pleas of the Gandhis and others for quashing the summons against them, and also turned down their pleas for exemption from personal appearance in the trial court. Along with the Gandhis, five other accused — Suman Dubey, Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Sam Pitroda and Young India Ltd — had challenged the summons issued by a trial court on a complaint by Dr Swamy against them for alleged cheating and misappropriation of funds in taking control of the now-defunct daily.

The trial court had on June 26 last year summoned all the accused to appear before it on August 7, 2014 on Dr Swamy’s complaint. The Congress leaders had later, on July 30, 2014, moved the high court, which stayed the summons on August 6 last year. On December 15, 2014, the court had further stayed the summons till the final disposal of the petitions.