DHAKA: Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi will appear in a trial court in Delhi Saturday in the National Herald case.

They are likely to be accompanied by Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka and her son-in-law Robert Vadra, reports NDTV.

The two are among six people - including other top Congress leaders and Gandhi family associates - accused by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy of trying to illegally acquire real estate worth thousands of crores belonging to the now defunct newspaper National Herald.

The two will appear before the trial court at the Patiala House Courts at 3:00pm and are likely to seek bail, sources in the Congress have said. ‘We are open to availing all legal remedies and options including (seeking) bail,’ party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had said Friday.

Attacking the BJP of ‘petty politicization’, senior lawyer and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who will represent the Gandhis in the court along with party colleague Kapil Sibal, said, ‘We have utmost faith in the judiciary’.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made at the court where nearly 700 security personnel have been deployed. Once the Gandhis arrive, all but one gate will be closed.

A temporary control room has been set up inside the court premises.

Ahead of the appearance, party leaders and lawmakers have begun converging at the Congress headquarters, 24 Akbar Road, in a show of strength.

After appearing in court, Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are likely to head to the party headquarters where they might address the media.

Swamy had filed the case in a local court in 2012, one year before he joined the BJP.

The court had in 2014 issued summons to the Gandhis and others which they challenged in the Delhi High Court. Earlier this month, the High Court refused to stay the summons.

BDST: 1312 HRS, DEC 19, 2015
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