National Herald case: Swamy records statement in Delhi court

New Delhi, July 21

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Saturday recorded his statement before a Delhi court in the National Herald case, filed by him against Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, his mother Sonia Gandhi and other accused.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal recorded a part of Swamy’s statement and posted the matter for hearing on August 25, when it will record the remaining part of his statement.

The BJP leader, in a private criminal complaint, has accused the Gandhis and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by paying only Rs 50 lakh, through which Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YI) obtained the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore that Associate Journals Ltd owed to the Congress.

All the seven accused — the Gandhis, AICC treasurer Motilal Vora, AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda and YI — have denied the allegations.

The court had summoned the accused persons and YI on June 26, 2014.

On December 19, 2015, it granted bail to Sonia, Rahul, Vora, Fernandes and Dubey, who have appeared before it pursuant to the summonses.

Pitroda was granted bail on February 20, 2016 after he appeared in the court.

Sonia, Rahul, Vora, Fernandes, Dubey and Pitroda were summoned for the alleged offences of misappropriation of property, criminal breach of trust and cheating, read with criminal conspiracy of the Indian Penal Code. PTI