In a major blow to Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) which publishes National Herald newspaper, the Delhi High Court on Feb 28 asked the company to vacate its building on the Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg at ITO.

The order came on the plea filed by AJL challenging single judge bench order asking it to vacate the premises which had upheld Urban Development Ministry notification dated October 30, 2018 saying that AJL’s 56-year-old lease on Herald House had expired and therefore it must vacate.

The Centre had prayed to Delhi HC to quash the appeal saying that Young Indian company, in which Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi are shareholders, was purposely founded with an aim to seize Herald House.

A division bench of Delhi High Court comprising Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V Kameswar Rao on Feb 18 had reserved its judgment.

—India Legal Bureau