Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appeared before the MP-MLA court on Friday in connection with a defamation case stemming from remarks made about Amit Shah. The court has scheduled the next hearing for August 12, when the petitioner’s statement will be recorded. Sources indicate that Gandhi is not required to appear in court on that date, according to PTI.
The case dates back to 2018, when BJP leader Vijay Mishra accused Rahul Gandhi of making derogatory comments during a press conference in Bengaluru. In the conference, the Congress MP referred to Amit Shah as an “accused” in a murder case.
Advocate Kashi Prasad Shukla, representing Rahul Gandhi, stated, “Rahul Gandhi recorded his statement in the court and said that all the allegations are false and the complaint has been filed due to political malice… August 12 has been fixed as the next date of hearing and the complainant will have to produce evidence on that day which will be cross-examined by the court,” reported ANI.
Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was previously granted bail in this case on February 20, after interrupting his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ to attend the court proceedings.
Special magistrate Shubham Verma had summoned Rahul Gandhi to record his statement, warning of stern action if he failed to comply, as he missed 12 consecutive hearings. During the previous hearing, Rahul Gandhi’s lawyer explained his absence on July 2 was due to parliamentary duties as the Leader of Opposition.
The defamation complaint, filed on August 4, 2018, by Vijay Mishra, a local BJP leader and district co-operative chairman, was in response to Gandhi’s remarks at the press conference. Gandhi criticized the BJP, stating that the party, which claims to uphold honest and clean politics, has a president who is an “accused” in a murder case, referring to Amit Shah, who was then the BJP chief.
The charges against Rahul Gandhi are under Indian Penal Code sections 499, concerning spreading rumors to damage someone’s reputation, and 500, pertaining to defamation.
