Special Magistrate Shubham Verma has summoned Gandhi to record his statement, warning of stern action after missing 12 consecutive hearings.
Sultanpur, UP — Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to appear before the MP-MLA court in Sultanpur on Friday for a hearing in a defamation case filed against him by a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader. The case stems from alleged objectionable remarks Gandhi made about the then BJP president and current Home Minister Amit Shah during a 2018 press conference.
Congress district president Abhishek Singh Rana announced on Thursday that Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, will arrive at Lucknow airport at 9 am on Friday and then proceed to Sultanpur for the court appearance. This hearing comes after Special Magistrate Shubham Verma summoned Gandhi to record his statement on July 26, with a warning of stern action if he fails to comply. Gandhi has previously missed 12 consecutive hearings.
The defamation case was filed by local BJP leader Vijay Mishra on August 4, 2018, following Gandhi’s remarks in Bengaluru, where he referred to Amit Shah as an “accused” in a murder case. Gandhi’s comments were perceived as damaging to Shah’s reputation, prompting Mishra, a district co-operative chairman, to take legal action under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code, which deal with spreading rumors to damage someone’s reputation and defamation, respectively.
In a previous court appearance, Gandhi was granted bail on February 20 after interrupting his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ to attend the proceedings. During the last hearing, Gandhi’s lawyer, Kashi Prasad Shukla, explained that Gandhi’s absence on July 2 was due to his parliamentary duties as the Leader of Opposition.
The defamation case highlights the ongoing political tensions between the Congress and the BJP, with Gandhi’s remarks during the 2018 press conference aimed at attacking the BJP’s claim of clean and honest politics. As Gandhi prepares to face the court in Sultanpur, the outcome of this hearing could have significant implications for both his political career and the broader political landscape in India.