Rahul Gandhi's Defamation Case: A Political Battle in Court

Rahul Gandhi faced a defamation lawsuit filed by BJP's Vijay Mishra for remarks made in 2018. Despite procedural delays, Gandhi eventually appeared in court, denied the charges, and labeled them as politically motivated. The court directed Mishra to present evidence, with the next hearing scheduled for February 2024.

On Tuesday, a special court addressed the defamation suit involving Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Raebareli MP Rahul Gandhi. The complaint was filed by Vijay Mishra, a local BJP politician, following Gandhi's alleged derogatory comments about Home Minister Amit Shah during the Karnataka assembly elections in 2018.

Mishra, a resident of Hanumanganj and active under the Kotwali Dehat police jurisdiction, felt aggrieved by Gandhi's 2018 remarks. This initiated a prolonged legal battle, which saw little progress in the initial years due to Gandhi's absences in court.

However, in December 2023, Gandhi responded to a court warrant and appeared to record his statement in July 2024, declaring his innocence and asserting political motives behind the case. The court requested Mishra to provide evidence, setting the next hearing for February 2024.

(With inputs from agencies.)