Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), the publishers of the beleaguered National Herald group of newspapers, has announced after the extraordinary general meeting held in Lucknow today that it will relaunch its newspapers. The publishers have also decided to convert the firm to a non-profit entity. AJL had three newspapers -- National Herald, Navjivan and Quami Awaz -- all of which have shut down.

AJL managing director and veteran Congress leader Motilal Vora has said that the conversion is not linked to the National Herald case.

Making the announcement, Vora said the meeting was held to to seek shareholders' nod for changing the structure of the company from a commercial to a non-profit entity.

AJL had published advertisements in newspapers on December 19 last year announcing the meeting, a day before the Congress top brass was to appear before a trial court in Delhi in the National Herald case.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul had got bail in the National Herald case after a local court rejected complainant Subramanian Swamys opposition to the relief for them on the ground they are influential and can flee the country.

The case is based on a private criminal complaint lodged by Swamy against them of cheating, conspiracy and criminal breach of trust.

Swamy has accused them of cheating and misappropriation of funds in acquiring ownership of the now-defunct daily National Herald.