Herald case: Sonia, Rahul may seek bail

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi could seek bail when they appear before a magistrate on Saturday in the National Herald case, with the Congress insisting on Friday that they were open to all legal remedies and options.

"We are open to availing all legal remedies and options including bail," said party's chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala ahead of the two top leaders appearing before a metropolitan magistrate in the Patiala House court on Saturday.

The Gandhis have been summoned by the trial court on a private criminal complaint of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy of conspiracy, cheating, breach of trust and misappropriation of property.

Surjewala said the Congress leadership does not want the court process to be interfered with or influenced in any manner and so the party has asked workers not to come to the court.

Partymen claim that the Congress wants it to be a low key affair.

All India Congress Committee has dismissed reports that the Congress has called its state leaders to Delhi when the Gandhis will appear before the court

The party has been maintaining so far that a decision would be taken in accordance with what advice the lawyers will give.

Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who is representing the Gandhis, said, "Unnecessary hype need not be created by the media over a routine procedure. We are proceeding in every manner in accordance with law."

Singhvi, who is also a party spokesman, said, "We have been scrupulously avoiding all hype or hoopla about this, as far as the courts are concerned."

Party general secretary Shakeel Ahmed said the Congress would politically fight the Narendra Modi government on the issue as it was a 'vendetta'.

Congress MPs have been asked to gather at the party headquarters on Saturday, ahead of the appearance of the Gandhis in the court, as a measure of solidarity.

"The Modi government cannot suppress Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi or the Congress party from raising the voice of the people," Surjewala said, adding that the government was on a 'malicious witch hunt' against all political opponents, including the Congress leadership.