Unfinished Business: Will Rahul Gandhi Finally Get His Day in Court?
he defamation case against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has been postponed once again due to an ongoing lawyers' strike. The special MP-MLA court in Sultanpur, presided over by Judge Shubham Verma, has now scheduled the next hearing for January 30, 2025, to conclude the cross-examination process.
Sultanpur: The defamation case against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has been postponed once again due to an ongoing lawyers’ strike. The special MP-MLA court in Sultanpur, presided over by Judge Shubham Verma, has now scheduled the next hearing for January 30, 2025, to conclude the cross-examination process.
Table of Contents
Background of the Defamation Case
The case was filed in 2018 by Vijay Mishra, a local BJP leader, accusing Rahul Gandhi of making derogatory remarks about BJP leader Amit Shah during the Karnataka elections. Mishra claimed that Gandhi’s statement hurt his sentiments.
Timeline of Events
After five years of delays, the court issued a warrant against Gandhi in December 2023 due to his failure to appear. Gandhi eventually surrendered in February 2024, and his statement was recorded on July 26, 2024. He was granted bail on two sureties of ₹25,000 each.
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During his court appearance, Gandhi pleaded innocence, alleging the case was part of a political conspiracy. The court directed the plaintiff to present evidence to support the allegations.
Delays and Adjournments
The case has faced repeated adjournments:
- December 16, 2024: Hearing deferred due to the judge’s absence.
- January 2, 2025: Hearing rescheduled to January 10 due to incomplete cross-examination.
- January 22, 2025: Postponed again due to the lawyers’ strike.
Next Steps
The hearing is now slated for January 30, 2025, pending resolution of the ongoing legal impasse caused by the strike.
