Sonia, Rahul appear in Delhi court, granted bail

The mother-son duo, along with the three others accused in the high-profile and politically sensitive National Herald case, were summoned to appear in court on Saturday and they left after securing bail. The bail was given on furnishing a surety of Rs 50,000 and personal bond of Rs 50,000 for each of the accused.

Petitioner Subramanian Swamy said he was satisfied with the court’s which granted bail to the Gandhis but the court did not accept their lawyers’ plea for exemption from personal appearance.

That the Congress was all set to turn this into a political battle became evident as the party began stalling proceedings in Parliament. Sonia Gandhi, the Congress party’s president, and her son, the party’s vice president, were granted bail of 50,000 rupees ($754), Kapil Sibal, a Congress lawmaker and lawyer, told reporters.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy filed the case in a local court in 2012. They walked returned after the listening to become over.

The day started with Congress leader Digvijaya Singh posting a series of tweets accusing the BJP of launching a “sustained vilification campaign” against Nehruvian ideology. But, in the midst of the logjam created by the Congress, the amendment to the Juvenile Justice Act could not be passed in Rajya Sabha, the BJP leader said.

In the case, a prominent member of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged the Gandhis misused party funds to illegally acquire real estate assets worth millions of dollars.

They also slammed the recent raid of CBI on Delhi government Principle Secretary’s office and said that this is a sign of BJP’s frustration and nothing else.

Elated over its “political” victory in the National Herald case after the Gandhis got bail, the Congress is contemplating moving the Supreme Court against Delhi High Court’s “criminal intent” remark.

“Today, I appeared with a clear coronary heart in the courtroom like another regulation-abiding individual”.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday said the Central government is intentionally targeting the opposition leaders.

Party sources said suggestions on senior state party leaders trooping into Delhi to coincide with the court appearance of the two were turned down by the top brass as it would have led to public inconvenience and traffic snarls and given an opportunity to political rivals to hit out at the party.

Congress leaders accused Mr Swarmy of being a “stooge” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They were also directed to appear before the trial court.

The paper, which was run by the Associated Journals, was ordered by Ms Gandhi to be closed in 2009. “We will fight for the rights of poor and will never back down”, he added.

The National Herald newspaper was intently related to India’s freedom wrestle and the Indian National Congress until 2008.