National Herald case: Subramanian Swamy opposes Rahul Gandhi's plea seeking fresh passport

New Delhi, May 24:  Senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday opposed before a Delhi court Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's application seeking a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the issuance of an "ordinary" passport.

Gandhi on Tuesday moved the court seeking an NOC in order to get a fresh "ordinary" passport after he surrendered his diplomatic travel document upon his disqualification as an MP.

Opposing the plea, the former union minister said that if Rahul Gandhi is allowed to travel abroad, it may hamper the probe in the National Herald case. The case was filed by Swamy against the Congress leader and his mother Sonia Gandhi, their companies and associated persons.

Gandhi's counsel told the court that there are no criminal cases pending against him and therefore he can be granted an NOC.

However, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vaibhav Mehta of Rouse Avenue Court said that Swamy has the right to file a reply to Gandhi's application and posted the matter for hearing next on May 26.

On November 1, 2012, Swamy had filed a private complaint in the court alleging that both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have committed fraud and land grabbing worth Rs 16 billion by acquiring a publicly limited company called Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) through their owned private company, Young Indian.

The court had on December 19, 2015, granted bail to Gandhi and others in the case.

"The applicant ceased to be a Member of Parliament in March 2023 and as such he surrendered his diplomatic passport and is applying for a fresh ordinary passport. By way of the present application, the applicant is seeking permission and no objection from this Court for issuance of a fresh ordinary passport to him," the application read.