[Breaking] Rahul Gandhi's 2018 Defamation Case: Denies Allegations, Next Hearing Scheduled Till August 12

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“Rahul Gandhi has denied the allegations, claiming he is being framed for political motives and to damage his reputation. He responded to the court’s questions and recorded his statement. We are now required to present evidence on August 12, 2024.” Advocate Santosh Kumar Pandey, the complainant’s lawyer, stated,

[Breaking] Rahul Gandhi's 2018 Defamation Case: Denies Allegations, Next Hearing Scheduled Till August 12 — [Breaking] Rahul Gandhi’s 2018 Defamation Case: Denies Allegations, Next Hearing Scheduled Till August 12

Sultanpur (UP): Today (26th July): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appeared before the MP-MLA court on for a 2018 defamation case hearing.

Special Magistrate Shubham Verma recorded his statement and Next Hearing Scheduled Till August 12

Advocate Santosh Kumar Pandey, the complainant’s lawyer, stated,

“Rahul Gandhi has denied the allegations, claiming he is being framed for political motives and to damage his reputation. He responded to the court’s questions and recorded his statement. We are now required to present evidence on August 12, 2024.”

Background:

The defamation complaint was filed on August 4, 2018, by Vijay Mishra against Rahul Gandhi over his comments about Amit Shah during the Karnataka elections. Gandhi had accused the BJP of claiming to believe in honest and clean politics while having a party president who was an “accused” in a murder case. It is important to note that Shah was discharged by a special CBI court in Mumbai four years prior to Gandhi’s remark in a 2005 fake encounter case when he was a minister of state for home in Gujarat.

On 22nd April, The hearing for the 2018 defamation case against Rahul Gandhi, filed by BJP leader Vijay Mishra, was postponed to May 2. The case revolves around Gandhi’s alleged objectionable remarks made during a press conference in Bengaluru in May 2018, targeting Amit Shah, who was BJP president at the time

Last December, a warrant was issued against Rahul Gandhi, prompting him to halt his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Amethi on February 20 to make an appearance in court. He was subsequently granted bail.

Section 499 And 500 of IPC

According to section 499 of IPC, whoever, by words either spoken or intended to be read, or by signs or by visible representations, makes or publishes any imputation concerning any person intending to harm, or knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm, the reputation of such person, is said, except in the cases hereinafter expected, to defame that person.

Section 499 also cites exceptions. These include “imputation of truth” which is required for the “public good” and thus has to be published, on the public conduct of government officials, the conduct of any person touching any public question and merits of the public performance.

Section 500, which is on punishment for defamation, reads: “Whoever defames another shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.”