LUCKNOW, Feb 20: Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to appear before an MP-MLA court in Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur on Friday to record his statement in a defamation case linked to his alleged remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The Congress leader arrived in Lucknow in the morning and proceeded directly to Sultanpur for the hearing.
Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai confirmed his arrival, stating that Gandhi has come specifically for the court proceedings and will return to Delhi afterwards.
Ahead of the hearing, local Congress workers put up posters in Sultanpur bearing the slogan “Satyamev Jayate”.
The case dates back to 2018, when a local BJP leader filed a defamation complaint alleging that during the Karnataka Assembly elections, Gandhi made derogatory remarks against Shah, who was then the BJP president.
The trial has been ongoing for the past five years. In December 2023, a warrant was issued against Gandhi for failing to appear before the court. He later surrendered in February 2024 and was granted bail on two sureties of ₹25,000 each by a special magistrate.
On July 26, 2024, Gandhi recorded his statement before the court, asserting his innocence and describing the case as politically motivated. The court subsequently directed the complainant to present evidence. (Agency)
