Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi did not appear before the MP-MLA court here on Monday in connection with a defamation case against him, following which the court fixed February 20 as the next date of hearing, a case lawyer said.
Gandhi, the Raebareli MP, was scheduled to record his statement before the court. However, his counsel Kashi Prasad Shukla informed the court that the Congress leader could not be present as he was in Kerala.Taking note of the submission, MP-MLA court judge Shubham Verma granted Gandhi a final opportunity to appear in person and fixed February 20 for further proceedings, he said.
Shukla later told reporters that Gandhi was unable to attend the hearing due to a pre-engagement in Kerala and was likely to be present on the next date.
The defamation case was filed in October 2018 by local BJP functionary Vijay Mishra, a resident of Hanumanganj in Kotwali Dehat area of Sultanpur district. Mishra alleged that during election campaigning in Karnataka in August 2018, Gandhi had made objectionable remarks against then BJP president Amit Shah.
Court proceedings in the case have been underway for several years. In December 2023, a warrant was issued against Gandhi for non-appearance. He later surrendered before the court on February 20, 2024, when a special magistrate granted him bail on two bonds of Rs 25,000 each.
On July 26, 2024, Gandhi recorded his statement before the court, denied the allegations and described the case as politically motivated. After his statement, the court directed the complainant’s side to present evidence, following which witnesses have been examined.
Complainant’s counsel Santosh Kumar Pandey said that witness Ram Chandra Dubey was examined on January 6 and cross-examined by the defence. He added that Gandhi would now be required to appear personally for recording of his statement under Section 313 of the CrPC on the next date of hearing.