The stage was set at room number four of Patiala House complex for the first ever appearance of the Gandhis. Amidst high drama and heightened security, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi decided to walk instead of driving into Patiala House to attend their hearing scheduled for 3 pm.
Surrounded by a scrum of security and reporters, Rahul smiled and Sonia waved just before they entered the courthouse. Soon the mother soon duo was smoothly ushered into the complex and gates were closed giving entry to only accredited journalists to cover the case.
Complainant BJP leader Subramanian Swamy was the first to arrive who drove past the gates of the court complex around 2.15 pm. Within minutes, Congress’ counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi arrived with Sonia’s political secretary Ahmed Patel, followed by another lawyer Kapil Sibal.
Around 2.30 pm, Priyanka Vadra, accompanied by a host of Congress heavyweights, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjuna Kharge, Sheila Dikshit and Ambika Soni, arrived and deboarded their vehicles few metres away from the court premises. In the jam-packed court room of the metropolitan magistrate the party’s legal eagles Kapil Sibal, Ashwani Kumar, both former Union law ministers, and Abhishek Manu Singhvi were present.
As tweeted by the BJP leader and complainant in the case, Subramanian Swami, the Gandhis were not allowed to sit and were asked to stand were the accused are asked to be present inside the court during the hearing. Hearing in the case began at 3 pm and ended by 3.03 pm. As the proceedings began, Mr Swamy opposed the bail saying the accused, including Sonia and Rahul, are “highly influential” people and can flee the country and that their passports should be seized and travel restrictions be imposed on them. A battery of Congress lawyers told the court that these are people who have deep roots in society and they hold high office and do not have any previous charge against them.
Mr Sibal said one bail application was moved on behalf of all accused and they had furnish one surety of Rs 50,000 each. The Gandhis have not sought exemption from personal appearance at future hearings, said senior Congress leader and lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi. “The accused are reputed persons having deep political grassroots and there is no apprehension that they will flee,” the magistrate noted while granting them bail on personal bond of Rs 50,000 each.
He posted the case for further hearing at 2 pm on February 20, next year. A smiling Sonia followed closely by Rahul emerged out of the court after 15 minutes of proceedings.
