Security up for court appearance of Sonia, Rahul

Security was on Friday beefed up in Patiala House courts complex here for Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi's appearance in a court on Saturday, sources said.

Special Protection Guard (SPG) and senior Delhi Police officials visited the court premises and inspected security arrangements, officials said.

As many as 16 new cameras have been installed in the court premises to keep a vigil on movement inside and outside the complex.

SPG officials held a meeting in the afternoon with the district Judge of the Patiala House courts and senior officials of Delhi Police, a court official said.

The SPG also inspected the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Lovleen, where case hearing will take place on Saturday.

According to sources, paramilitary forces will be deployed as part of beefed up security. Movement outside the court will be restricted as part of the security drill.

The court had ordered Sonia and Rahul to appear on Saturday (December 19) in connection with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy's complaint in the National Herald case.

On June 26 last year, the trial court issued summons to the Congress leaders on Swamy's complaint about "cheating" in the acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd. (AJL) by Young India Ltd. (YIL) - "a firm in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi each own a 38 percent stake".

The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed the plea of the Gandhis to quash the summons issued to them by a trial court on Swamy's complaint regarding the acquisition of National Herald newspaper.

The trial court later fixed December 19 for hearing in the case.