Rahul Gandhi Defamation Case Hearing Deferred To Jan 22 Amid Lawyers’ Strike

The defamation case against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, set for a hearing on Friday in an MP-MLA court, was postponed due to a lawyers’ strike.

Advocate Santosh Kumar Pandey, representing complainant Vijay Mishra, informed that Magistrate Shubham Verma has now rescheduled the hearing for January 22 to complete the cross-examination process.

The case originated in 2018 when Vijay Mishra, a local BJP leader, filed a defamation complaint against Gandhi, accusing him of making offensive remarks during the Karnataka assembly elections. Mishra claimed the statements caused him personal distress.

After a prolonged five-year legal battle, Gandhi failed to appear in court, prompting the judge to issue a warrant for his appearance in December 2023.

In February 2024, Gandhi surrendered before the court. During his court appearance, Gandhi asserted his innocence and alleged that the case was driven by political motivations.

On July 26, 2024, Gandhi’s statement was recorded, and the special magistrate granted him bail on two bonds of ₹25,000 each. The court then instructed the complainant to produce evidence to support the charges.

The hearing was initially slated for December 16, 2024, but it was postponed due to the absence of the presiding judge. Similarly, the January 2 hearing was deferred because the cross-examination remained incomplete.

Now, with the hearing postponed once again, proceedings are expected to resume on January 22.

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