Swamy withdraws application seeking Hooda as witness

New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Monday withdrew his application seeking summoning of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda as witness in the National Herald case against Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi.

Swamy told Metropolitan Magistrate Lovleen that he wants to withdrew his application moved last month where he has sought Hooda and three Haryana officials – Sandeep Singh Dhillon, then associated with Haryana Urban Development Authority, IAS officer Vineet Garg, and Shakuntala Jakhu, then Financial Commissioner, Town and Country Planning – as witness in the case.

The court allowed his plea.

Swamy also told court that he will file a fresh application seeking documents related the case.

The court listed the matter for July 1 for further hearing on Swamy’s plea seeking examination of Congress leader Janardan Dwivedi and others in the National Herald case.

Apart from the Gandhis, Congress party leaders Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey, and Sam Pitroda and Young Indian – are facing trial in the case.

Swamy had filed a complaint about "cheating" in acquisition of AJL, which published the National Herald newspaper, by Young Indian, "a firm in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi each own a 38 per cent stake".

He had accused the Gandhis of allegedly conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by just paying Rs 50 lakh, through which Young Indian obtained right to recover Rs 90.25 crore that the AJL owed to the Congress.