Non-Bailable Warrant Against Rahul Gandhi In Defamation Case Over Remark On Amit Shah
A non-bailable warrant has been issued against LoP Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case over remarks on Home Minister Amit Shah. The Congress leader has been asked to appear on June 26.
A non-bailable warrant has been issued against the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, directing him to appear in person in a defamation case. The warrant was issued by an MP-MLA court in Jharkhand's Chaibasa. The Congress MP has been ordered to appear in person before the court on June 26.
The case, filed in 2018 by local BJP leader Vijay Mishra, pertains to alleged objectionable comments made by Gandhi about Home Minister Amit Shah during the Karnataka assembly elections. In his speech, Gandhi had allegedly said that even someone facing "charges of murder" could become the president of the BJP, news agency IANS reported.
Hearing in the defamation case against Gandhi was postponed on Saturday in a Sultanpur court due to a lawyers' workshop. According to the complainant's lawyer, Santosh Kumar Pandey, lawyers were unavailable due to the workshop, leading to the adjournment of proceedings until June 26.
At the previous hearing on April 28, a cross-examination was held before the special MP/MLA court. Pandey had presented witness Anil Mishra, a resident of Pitambarpur Kala under the Kotwali Dehat police station. However, Gandhi’s counsel, Kashi Prasad Shukla, was unable to complete the cross-examination.
Special Judge Shubham Verma had scheduled the next hearing for May 17.
Following five years of legal proceedings, the court issued a warrant against Rahul Gandhi in December 2023. He later surrendered before the court in February 2024 and was granted bail by the special magistrate on two sureties of Rs 25,000 each.
The Rae Bareli MP had earlier appeared in court on July 26, 2023, where he recorded his statement, asserted his innocence, and described the case as politically motivated.
Several hearings were delayed earlier this year due to a lawyers' strike and the illness of Gandhi’s counsel. The cross-examination of the complainant was completed on February 11 by his lawyer Kashi Prasad Shukla.
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