Sultanpur (UP), Mar 20: A special MP/MLA court on Thursday deferred the hearing in the defamation case filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to April 3 due to an ongoing strike by lawyers. Advocate Kashi Prasad Shukla, representing Gandhi, confirmed that the proceedings could not take place because of the strike.
“The hearing was supposed to take place today, but since the lawyers were on strike, no proceedings could be conducted. The court has now scheduled the next hearing for April 3,” Shukla said.
The case, filed by local BJP politician Vijay Mishra, dates back to 2018 when Gandhi allegedly made derogatory remarks during the Karnataka elections. Following nearly five years of legal proceedings, the court issued a warrant against Gandhi in December 2023. He surrendered in court in February 2024 and was granted bail on two sureties of Rs 25,000 each.
Gandhi recorded his statement in court on July 26, 2023, pleading not guilty and claiming the case was part of a political conspiracy against him. Earlier this year, hearings were postponed several times due to lawyers’ strikes and the ill health of Gandhi’s counsel.
Tags: Northlines
