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A Bengaluru court has ordered Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to appear personally on June 7 in a defamation case filed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The case involves Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, and Rahul Gandhi. BJP leader Keshav Prasad filed the complaint, objecting to Congress advertisements during the 2023 Karnataka assembly elections. The ads accused the BJP, then in power, of demanding 40 percent commission or bribes from contractors for public works.
During a hearing on Saturday, Gandhi’s lawyer requested an exemption from his appearance, citing Gandhi’s participation in an INDIA alliance meeting. The court allowed the exemption for that day but insisted that Gandhi must appear on June 7. The court clearly stated, “It is made clear that the Accused No.4 shall appear before this court on the next date of hearing without fail.”
Earlier in the day, the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate granted bail to Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, requiring them to provide bail bonds of ₹5,000 each. Since Gandhi did not attend the hearing, his plea will be heard on June 7.
The BJP’s complaint argues that the Congress party’s advertisements spread false information targeting its members, including the then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. The BJP claims these ads unfairly accused their party of corruption, damaging their reputation.
In summary, the Bengaluru court has directed Rahul Gandhi to appear on June 7 in a defamation case related to Congress’s election campaign allegations against the BJP. While Gandhi’s request for exemption was accepted for now, the court has emphasized his required presence at the next hearing.