BJP leader Subramanian Swamy today on Wednesday opposed a plea filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi before a Delhi Court seeking to issue a fresh passport.
While appearing before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vaibhav Mehta Gandhi’s counsel stated that there are no criminal cases pending against him and also, he can be granted a no-objection certificate.
However, the Court stated that Swamy has the right to file a reply to Gandhi’s plea.
Thus, the case was listed on May 26 for further hearing.
According to Swamy, if Gandhi is allowed to travel abroad, it may hamper the probe in the National Herald case that pertains to the assignment of ₹90 crore loan advanced by the Congress party to Associated Journals Ltd.
However, in his private complaint, Subramanian Swamy had accused Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda and Gandhi family-controlled Young Indian of cheating, criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust & property misappropriation.
Furthermore, Rahul Gandhi approached the court after surrendering his diplomatic passport due to his disqualification as a Member of Parliament.
On March 23, the parliamentarian was disqualified as an MP after being convicted of criminal defamation for his remark “All thieves have Modi surname” which he made at in a 2019 election rally in Karnataka’s Kolar.
In his speech, Gandhi linked Prime Minister Narendra Modi with fugitives like Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi.
He had said, “Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi. How come all the thieves have ‘Modi’ as a common surname?”
Purnesh Modi (former BJP Member of the Legislative Assembly), took exception to the speech claiming that Gandhi humiliated and defamed persons with the Modi surname.
The Surat court has accepted the contention of Modi that by his speech, Gandhi intentionally insulted the people with a ‘Modi’ surname.
A sessions judge rejected to stay conviction in the Magistrate court. Appeal against the same is pending before the High Court which is expected to pronounce its verdict in June.
