Tight Security for Sonia and Rahul's court appearance

New Delhi, Dec 19  Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son and party vice president Rahul Gandhi will appear in a court here later on Saturday in the National Herald case amid tight security arrangements, sources said.

A team of Special Protection Guard (SPG), Border Security Force, and anti-bomb squad has been deployed at the Patiala House court premise here.

A large number of Congress party workers gathered at the party's headquarters to express solidarity with the two top leaders.

Sonia Gandhi had reportedly asked party leaders and supporters from other states not to throng the capital on Saturday.

Congress leaders have alleged a "political vendetta" for the National Herald cheating and misappropriation case involving the Gandhis.

"Its a political vendetta. We will fight the legal battle in accordance with law. We have complete respect for the judicial process," said Congress spokesman R.S. Surjewala.

Another Congress leader and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Shinghvi said: "We have faith in the judiciary, all legal options including bail are available. We will proceed to court in a serious and dignified manner. No reason for hype."

The court had ordered Sonia and Rahul Gandhi to appear on Saturday in connection with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy's complaint in the National Herald case.

On June 26 last year, the trial court issued summons to the Congress leaders on Swamy's complaint about "cheating" in the acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) by Young India Ltd (YIL), a firm in which Sonia Gandhi and her son each own a 38 percent stake.

The Delhi High Court last week dismissed the plea of the Gandhis to quash the summons issued to them by a trial court.