National Herald: Centre opposes in AJL's HC appeal against single judge order to vacate premises

The Centre Monday opposed in Delhi High Court an appeal against a single judge order, asking National Herald publisher AJL to vacate its premises, saying the firm "clandestinely" transferred its majority shares to Young India in which Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi are shareholders.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao were told by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that the land was allocated to AJL on lease for printing press and this "dominant purpose" was stopped several years back.

The bench was hearing arguments on AJL's appeal against the single judge's December 21, 2018 decision which had dismissed its plea challenging the Centre's order to vacate its premises.

It asked the publisher to vacate the ITO premises within two weeks after which eviction proceedings under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, would be initiated. AJL has also sought a stay on the single judge order.

The court will hear further arguments in the matter on February 1.

Mehta, representing the Centre, said, "The National Herald newspaper stopped publication in 2008 and employees were offered voluntary retirement scheme. In 2010-11, clandestinely this property worth thousand crores was transferred to Young India (YI). When the team went for inspection to see whether the purpose was going on, nothing was found."
During the hearing, The Solicitor General also argued that by taking note of certain dates, the court "will find the calculated clandestine design to transfer shares to YI."