Never Spoke to Modi About National Herald Case: Swamy

New Delhi, Dec 19 (IANS) BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, the lone petitioner in the National Herald case, said he has never spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the case.

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and her son and party vice president Rahul Gandhi appeared in a trial court here on Saturday in the case.

Swamy dismissed allegations that he was pursuing the case on the orders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership.

"I have never taken an appointment in his (Modi's) office...In fact, I have never spoken to the prime minister verbally on this matter," Swamy told reporters after the court granted bail to the Congress leaders.

They appeared before Metropolitan Magistrate Loveleen in the Patiala House courts complex.

"I have so many friends in BJP. I am an old Jan Sanghi and started my career in Jan Sangh. I know most of them personally...," he added.

Swamy described the scene inside the courtroom.

"When the Gandhis (Sonia and Rahul Gandhi) entered, they were made to stand in a corner where the accused are supposed to be. They were not allowed to sit except Motilal Vora," he said.

Swamy expressed satisfaction over the judgement.

The Delhi High Court last week dismissed the plea of the Gandhis to quash the summons issued to them by the trial court on Swamy's complaint regarding the acquisition of National Herald newspaper.

On June 26 last year, the trial court issued summons to the Congress leaders on Swamy's complaint about "cheating" in the acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd., which published the National Herald newspaper, by Young India Ltd., "a firm in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi each own a 38 percent stake".