National Herald case: Rahul Gandhi moves Delhi court seeking NOC to get ordinary passport

New Delhi, May 23 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday moved a Delhi court seeking a No Objection Certificate in order to get a fresh "ordinary passport" after he surrendered his diplomatic travel document upon his disqualification as an MP.

Gandhi has moved an application in the National Herald case, filed by former union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party veteran Subramanian Swamy against him and his mother Sonia Gandhi, their companies and associated persons.

On November 1, 2012, Swamy had filed a private complaint in the court alleging that both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have committed fraud and land grabbing worth Rs 16 billion by acquiring publicly limited company called Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) through their owned private company, Young Indian.

The court had on December 19, 2015, granted bail to Gandhi and others in the case.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vaibhav Mehta of the Rouse Avenue Court has sought Swamy's response on Gandhi's application.

"The applicant ceased to be a Member of Parliament in March 2023 and as such he surrendered his diplomatic passport and is applying for a fresh ordinary passport. By way of the present application, the applicant is seeking permission and no objection from this Court for issuance of a fresh ordinary passport to him," the application read.

The court has listed the matter for further hearing on Wednesday.

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