A Nashik court ordered Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to appear in person for bail in a defamation case regarding remarks on VD Savarkar, with a hearing for exemption set for May 9.
A Nashik court has directed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to appear in person to seek bail in a defamation case filed against him over remarks made on Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in 2022.
The case was filed by Nashik-resident Devendra Bhutada under sections 500 and 504 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) through advocate Manoj Pingle. In the complaint, Bhutada claimed that Gandhi’s remarks about Savarkar had hurt his sentiments.
During the hearing on Saturday, 10th Joint Civil Judge, Senior Division and Additional CJM, Nashik RC Narwadia ruled that Gandhi must be present in person to obtain bail.
Gandhi’s legal team, comprising advocates Jayant Jaybhave and Akash Chhajed, filed an application requesting that the Congress leader be granted a permanent exemption from appearing in court. They also sought permission for Gandhi to attend hearings via video conferencing whenever required.
The court will hear Gandhi’s application for permanent exemption on May 9, according to the petitioner’s lawyer, Pingle.
This development adds to the series of legal challenges faced by the Congress leader, following multiple defamation cases in various states. The outcome of this case will determine whether Gandhi will need to appear physically for future proceedings or be allowed to attend virtually.
FOLLOW US ON YOUTUBE FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES