Sultanpur (Uttar Pradesh): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was granted bail by a special district court in Sultanpur on Tuesday in connection with a defamation case filed by a BJP leader in 2018. The court had issued summons to Gandhi asking him to appear before it 36 hours in advance.
The then BJP vice president Vijay Mishra had filed a complaint alleging that the Congress leader had made derogatory remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a press conference in Bengaluru during the Karnataka polls in 2018.
Addressing the press conference, Gandhi said that BJP claimed to be practising clean and honest politics but has a president who is a murder accused. Shah was then the BJP president.
Mishra said, "After hearing the allegations I was pained and filed a case through my lawyer at the District and Sessions MP-MLA Court of Sultanpur on August 4, 2018. The case has been underway for the last five years," he said.
Gandhi's lawyer, Santosh Pandey said that the Congress leader is innocent and did not make any defamatory statement. "He surrendered before the court today and was taken into custody for 30 to 45 minutes. After which, his bail plea was accepted by the court," Pandey said.
Gandhi who was holding the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in Amethi went to Sultanpur court this morning. After being granted bail he resumed the yatra at Rae Bareli.
Earlier, responding to the court issuing summons to Gandhi, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said it will have no impact on the ongoing yatra. He said that the yatra was stopped this morning and will resume in the afternoon. A public rally will be organised in Rae Bareli after which, the yatra will move towards Lucknow, he said.
Read More
