Gandhis get bail; Cong vows to fight 'political vendetta'

Cong to move Supreme Court to expunge Delhi HC remarks of criminality

Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi were granted unconditional bail in the National Herald case on Saturday.

The leaders, along with three others, Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes and Suman Dubey, appeared at the Patiala House court.

The Gandhis did not move court for exemption from personal appearance in future hearings.

“Modiji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) levels false allegations and thinks the Opposition will bow down. Neither I nor the Congress party will succumb even an inch," Rahul Gandhi said after the proceedings.

Although the Gandhis did not march to court along with supporters, party leaders turned up in large numbers at the Congress headquarters on Akbar Road. Party workers from Sonia Gandhi’s constituency Raebareli thronged the office.

“Today we appeared before the court with a clean conscience. We did what any law-abiding citizen should do. The laws of the nation apply to everyone without any discrimination. I have no doubt that the truth will come out,” Sonia Gandhi said in an address to the media and assembled partymen.

Senior lawyers such as Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi appeared for the Gandhis during their 15-minute appearance in court. While Priyanka Gandhi Vadra stood surety for brother Rahul Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh did likewise for Sonia Gandhi.

Magistrate Lovleen rejected complainant Subramanian Swamy’s plea to deny the Gandhis bail and noted, “The accused are reputed persons having deep political grassroots and there is no apprehension that they will flee.”

The leaders had been summoned under sections 403 (misappropriation of property), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

Speaking about her experience in court, a relaxed Sonia Gandhi later told Congress Working Committee members and MPs assembled at the party office that she had felt there would be much excitement, but it turned out to be routine proceedings.

While the party had summoned all 45 Lok Sabha and 67 Rajya Sabha MPs, former MPs, state leaders, party veterans, and former chief ministers Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Ashok Gehlot were also present.

Barring Sam Pitroda, who could not appear because of medical reasons, all the other accused appeared before court on Saturday. A senior leader conceded that since the Congress leaders had opted not to apply for exemption from appearance, another such public show of support could be expected on February 20, the next date of hearing.

The court had initially suggested February 13, but the lawyers for the Congress leaders chose February 20 with an eye on the court appearance being closer to the Budget session of Parliament.

With the Congress firm on making “political vendetta” an issue, the government’s hopes of having crucial Bills, including the Goods and Services Tax Bill, passed in the Budget session seem remote. A senior Congress leader said the party would not budge from its three demands on the GST Bill. The Congress has, however, assured the government that it will allow the passage of the Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Bill in the Rajya Sabha next week.

The Congress leaders are likely to move the Supreme Court not to seek a stay on proceedings in the lower court but to have the remarks of the Delhi High Court in the court order like “smacks of criminality” and “criminal intent” expunged.

Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “Swamy has been placed under Z-category and allotted a government bungalow as an award for dragging the Congress leadership to court."

Strongly refuting the Congress allegations, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, “The Bharatiya Janata Party and the government have nothing to do with it. They are doing politics over a matter of court.”

Congress state units held demonstrations against the BJP government across the country with party chief ministers leading marches in some states.

Swamy speaking to the media exuded confidence that by 2016 the Gandhis would be behind bars in this case.