Sultanpur, September 21 (Daily Kiran) : The defamation case involving Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his comments about Union Home Minister Amit Shah was heard in a special MP-MLA court in Sultanpur on September 21. The hearing followed a complaint filed by BJP leader Vijay Mishra, represented by lawyer Santosh Kumar Pandey. After approximately 45 to 50 minutes of debate, the court set the next hearing for September 29.
This case stems from remarks made by Rahul Gandhi during a press conference in Bengaluru in 2018, coinciding with the Karnataka assembly elections. Mishra alleges that Gandhi’s comments were defamatory, prompting him to file a lawsuit in Sultanpur court.
During the proceedings, the plaintiff’s side requested a forensic analysis to compare Gandhi’s voice samples with the recordings of the alleged defamatory comments. However, the trial court rejected this request. The plaintiff then approached the session court, which also denied relief. The matter was subsequently escalated to the High Court, which upheld the lower court’s decision. Now, the case is moving towards final arguments.
On Monday, lawyer Santosh Kumar Pandey presented his arguments regarding the allegations and the facts surrounding the comments. He indicated that he would conclude his arguments during the next hearing on September 29.
The court had previously summoned Rahul Gandhi to appear for trial on November 27, 2023. He was granted bail after denying the allegations and asserting his innocence. Following this, the court continued with witness statements and other judicial proceedings, leading to the current phase of final arguments.
Pandey noted that Monday’s session was dedicated to the final arguments, which began around 3 PM after a lunch break. He emphasized that the case relates to the comments made in 2018 that led to Mishra’s defamation lawsuit. The remaining arguments will be completed at the next hearing.
Gandhi’s lawyer, Kashi Prasad Shukla, confirmed that the plaintiff’s arguments were partially presented on Monday. After the plaintiff concludes, the defense will present their case.
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