Former law minister Shanti Bhushan has challenged the "wholly illegal" transfer of shares of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) to Sonia-Rahul Gandhi controlled private firm Young Indian Limited (YIL).


The Associated Journals Ltd shareholder Shanti Bhushan said he had inherited over 300 AJL shares which his father had bought in 1938.


"My father had taken the shares in 1938 in his name. I have initiated the process for substitution of his legal heirs as owners of those shares," said Bhushan.


On being asked, if he would challenge the transfer of AJL shares to YIL, Bhushan said, "Very surely I will challenge it in court. This transfer of shares is wholly illegal."


This will give a completely new dimension to the raging controversy over the trial court summoning Sonia and Rahul on the National Herald case filed by BJP member Subramanian Swamy.


"My father had 10 children. Three of them have passed away. I have to get the signatures of their legal heirs for substituting my father's name with ours as owners of these 300 shares," Bhushan said.


He also added, "This process of getting signatures of legal heirs will take some time. But surely I will challenge this illegal transfer of AJL shares."


The Congress has termed the court case against Sonia and Rahul as "vendetta" litigation in proxy by a vindictive BJP-led NDA government. It said Swamy has no locus standi as he did not own a single share in AJL.

-- India Today