New York: A Sikh rights group on Tuesday secured a summons from a US judge to be served on Congress President Sonia Gandhi at a hospital where she is believed to be under medical care in a case filed against her for "shielding and protecting" party leaders allegedly involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. A class action suit against Sonia was filed by Sikhs for justice (SFJ), a US-based human rights group, along with victims of the November 1984 under Alien Tort Claims Act (ATCA) and Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA).

SFJ legal counsel Gurpatwant S Pannun said federal court Judge Brian M Cogan's order further directs the hospital and security staff to give summons and complaint to Sonia personally in the hospital. Sonia is currently in the US for regular medical check-up. 66-year-old Sonia, who had undergone a surgery in the US for an undisclosed ailment on August 5, 2011, had flown there for a check-up in February and again on September 2 last year.