National Herald case: Stay on summons against Sonia, Rahul till December 2

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday extended till December 2 the stay on the trial court order summoning Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and three others in the National Herald case.

Justice V P Vaish extended the interim order after lawyers appearing for the Gandhis and others said their arguments cannot be concluded on Tuesday.

The High Court, while listing the matter for further hearing on December 2, said the pleas before it require a regular hearing over two-three days and it can't hear arguments in the next few days due to holidays and a lot of transfer cases listed before it.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said that arguments need to be concluded before the next date of hearing in the matter before the trial court, which is scheduled to hear it on December 9.

Swamy, in his complaint before the trial court, had alleged cheating and misappropriation of funds by the Congress leaders in the acquisition of the daily by Young Indian (YI). Besides Sonia and Rahul, Congress Treasurer Moti Lal Vora, General Secretary Oscar Fernandes and Suman Dubey had moved the High Court on July 30 against the trial court order summoning them in the case.

The trial court had on June 26 summoned Sonia, Rahul, Vora, Fernandes, Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda to appear before it on August 7.