Rahul Gandhi Summoned in Defamation Case Linked to Amit Shah
Court Orders Rahul Gandhi to Appear
A court in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has summoned Rahul Gandhi to appear regarding a defamation case involving Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The Sultanpur MP-MLA court issued this order in response to a lawsuit filed by BJP leader Vijay Mishra. This case dates back eight years and pertains to comments made by Gandhi during the Karnataka Assembly election campaign that were directed at Amit Shah. A hearing on the matter took place on Tuesday, where the court reviewed Gandhi's remarks. Following a session lasting approximately 40 minutes, the court has instructed Gandhi to appear on January 19.
Cross-Examination of Ram Chandra Dubey Completed
The lawyer representing Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Kashi Prasad Shukla, has completed the cross-examination of Ram Chandra Dubey. The plaintiff's attorney informed the court that this phase of the proceedings has concluded. The court has scheduled the next hearing for January 19. Santosh Kumar Pandey, representing Vijay Mishra, confirmed that Dubey's testimony has been fully recorded. Mishra initially filed the defamation suit against Gandhi in October 2018.
Background of the Case
It is important to note that Vijay Mishra, a resident of Hanumanganj in Kotwali Dehat, filed the defamation lawsuit in October 2018, claiming that Gandhi made derogatory remarks against then-BJP president Amit Shah during a campaign event in Karnataka in August 2018.
Ongoing Legal Proceedings
The legal proceedings in this case have been ongoing for the past five years. In December 2023, the court issued a warrant for Gandhi's arrest due to his failure to appear. Subsequently, on February 20, 2024, Gandhi surrendered to the court, where a special judge granted him bail on two bonds of ₹25,000 each. Later, on July 26, 2024, Gandhi recorded his statement in court, declaring his innocence and labeling the case as a political conspiracy. Following his statement, the court directed the plaintiff to present evidence, and since then, witnesses have been consistently brought forward. To date, cross-examination has been completed for only one witness, while the second witness's examination concluded on Tuesday.