The Supreme Court on Friday exempted Congress President Sonia Gandhi and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi from appearing before a trial court in the National Herald case. However, the court refused to quash the trial proceedings, saying they can continue, and any objections can be raised during the framing of the charges. The court said that getting the Gandhis to appear before the court would cause more inconvenience than convenience.

In doing so, the Supreme Court dismissed the Delhi High Court's move to deny the Gandhis' request to stay the summons ordered by a trial court. The high court had come down heavily on the Congress leaders, saying they had cheated lakhs of people who had donated money to the party.

In December last year, the Gandhis were issued a summons by a trial court on the basis of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramaniam Swamy’s complaint. The complaint suggested that the Gandhis provided an interest free loan of of Rs 90.25 crore to Associated Journals Limited, which published the National Herald newspaper, and transferred the debt to a company called Young India Limited for Rs 50 lakh. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi each own a 38% stake in YIL. The Gandhis had appealed in the Supreme Court against having to appear before the bench.