Rahul Gandhi’s legal woes deepen: Lucknow court orders appearance
Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been summoned by a Lucknow court on March 24 over alleged defamatory remarks against the Indian Army. Another defamation case related to Amit Shah is also ongoing. Gandhi claims the cases are politically motivated.
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Delhi: A Lucknow court has summoned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on March 24 over alleged defamatory remarks against the Indian Army made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in 2022. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Alok Verma stated that Gandhi must be present for the hearing. The complaint was filed by lawyer Vivek Tiwari on behalf of Uday Shankar Srivastava, a former director of the Border Roads Organisation with a rank equivalent to an army colonel. According to the complaint, Gandhi’s comments on December 16, 2022, referring to a clash between Indian and Chinese forces on December 9, 2022, were derogatory and harmed the reputation of the Indian military.
Another defamation case against Rahul Gandhi
In addition to the Army-related case, Gandhi is also facing another defamation suit over alleged remarks about Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections. On February 11, a special court heard the case and scheduled the next hearing for February 24, where a witness will be cross-examined.
Over the past five years, the case has undergone multiple legal proceedings, with Gandhi failing to appear in court. In December 2023, following a warrant, he finally appeared. By February 2024, he complied with the summons, and the special magistrate granted him bail.
Rahul Gandhi denies charges, calls case a political conspiracy
Gandhi has consistently maintained that he is not guilty and claims the cases are politically motivated. The Raebareli MP asserts that these legal actions are part of a broader strategy to target opposition leaders.