A special MP/MLA court has deferred the defamation case hearing against Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition and MP from Rae Bareli, to March 6. The case, initiated by a local BJP politician, revolves around Gandhi’s comments made during the 2018 Karnataka assembly elections, which were directed at Home Minister Amit Shah and deemed objectionable by the complainant.
The adjournment came after the complainant’s lawyer, Santosh Kumar Pandey, was absent from the proceedings scheduled for Monday, despite the recent completion of the cross-examination of the complainant on February 11. Gandhi’s representation, lawyer Kashi Prasad Shukla, confirmed these developments.
This legal battle began when the complainant, hailing from Hanumanganj, filed a lawsuit in 2018 accusing Gandhi of making “indecent remarks” that allegedly hurt his sentiments during the election campaign. Over the last five years, the case has seen numerous proceedings, with Gandhi often absent from court appearances.
In December 2023, a warrant was issued leading to Gandhi’s court appearance. Subsequent to this, he attended the court in February 2024 under a compliance summons and was granted bail by the special magistrate on two sureties of Rs 25,000 each. Gandhi’s statement was recorded on July 26, 2024, after several delays.
