New Delhi: The Congress Party on Tuesday said that the Centre is trying to shut the mouth of the grand old party by raising the National Herald issue since it was not able to fulfill the promises made to the people during the 2014 elections.
“The National Herald case is binding on everyone and we will fight it in the court. The government had got a mandate and since they were not able to fulfill the promises made to the people, they are trying to shut our mouths by attacking us through this issue. The people will understand this,” Congress leader Oscar Fernandes told ANI here.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi have been asked to appear in court on December 19th in the National Herald case.
Apart from the Gandhis, the other accused who were denied exemption from personal appearance included Suman Dubey, Moti Lal Vohra, Oscar Fernandes and Sam Pitroda. Besides these individuals, the Young India Limited (YIL) is also an accused in the case.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had filed a complaint before the trial court in 2012, alleging that Congress leaders were involved in cheating and breach of trust in the acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) by Young Indian Ltd (YIL), as assets worth crores of rupees had been transferred to YIL.
The BJP leader and petitioner Subramanian Swamy had also filed a caveat in the apex court to pre-empt any ex-parte order on appeals likely to be filed by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul.
The summons were issued on a criminal complaint lodged by Swamy for alleged cheating and misappropriation of funds in acquiring ownership of now-defunct daily National Herald.
The Congress party had loaned Rs 90.25 crore to Associated Journals Ltd. (AJL), publisher of National Herald, and on December 28, 2010 and it had assigned this debt to Young Indian Ltd (YIL), the charitable company, for Rs 50 lakh, which, according to Swamy, amounted to breach of trust and cheating.(ANI)