Congress President Sonia Gandhi and son Rahul Gandhi were today summoned as accused by a local court for alleged cheating and misappropriation of funds in acquiring ownership of the now-defunct daily National Herald.

Metropolitan Magistrate Gomati Manocha held that BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, who made th complaint, has established a prima facie case of cheating, misappropriation of funds and criminal breach of trust against the accused. He has also issued summons to AICC Treasurer Moti Lal Vohra, General Secretary Oscar Fernandes, and Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda to appear before the court on August 7.

All of them are directors of Young Indian Ltd , a company that was incorporated in 2010 and took over the debt of Associated Journals Ltd , the publisher of National Herald.

Swamy had accused Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by just paying 50 lakh rupees by which Young Indian Ltd obtained the right to recover 90.25 crore, which the the publisher of National Herald had owed to the Congress party. He alleged that over 2,000 crore worth of assets also got transferred to Young Indian Ltd.

Reacting to the development, Congress spokesman and a senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the party will respond vigorously to the allegations made by Swamy. He said in Chennai that Dr Swamy is known for his personal, motivated campaign against the Congress and as and when they receive the papers a very vigorous response will be filed to this completely false and motivated complaint.

Another spokesman of the party Randeep Surjewala dismissed as purely motivated, malicious and mischievous the petition of BJP leader Subramanian Swamy. He said Swamy and the BJP must understand that neither the Nehru-Gandhi family nor Indian National Congress will get cowed down by such revengeful witch-hunts. Surejwala said they have not received any summons so far.

Congress today said, its leaders have not received any papers or information from the Court so far in connection with the National Herald case. In a statement, the party said that it will take appropriate action after taking necessary legal advice on receipt of any summons.