Delhi HC serves notice on Swamy on Sonia, Rahul plea

The Delhi High Court Friday issued notices to BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and the Delhi government on a plea filed by Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul.

The petition was filed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the party's vice-president Rahul against the summons issued to them for allegedly cheating and misappropriating funds of a company that published the now defunct National Herald newspaper.

Justice VP Vaish sought response from Swamy and the Delhi government by Aug 5.

A trial court June 26 issued summons to the Gandhis and four others - Congress treasurer Moti Lal Vora, general secretary Oscar Fernandes and Young Indian Private Ltd. (a firm in which the Gandhis have a stake) directors Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda - asking them to appear before it Aug 7.

Vora also approached the high court along with the Gandhis, who each own a 38 percent stake in the firm, seeking quashing of summons of the trial court and the complaint filed by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Swamy.

Filing the plea, the Congress leaders said Swamy is a political opponent and present criminal proceedings have been initiated only with intent to secure an oblique political objective.