Rahul Gandhi Gets Bail In RSS Defamation Case

A magistrate court in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra today granted bail to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi. A defamation case was filed against Gandhi by a Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh worker Rajesh Kunte for claiming at an election rally that RSS was involved in the assassination of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. The case was then filed by Kunte section 500 of the Indian Penal Code for the “false and baseless allegation intended to harm the reputation of the RSS.”

The Bombay High Court had refused to quash the criminal defamation case as well as the summons issued to him by the trial court. Rahul then appealed against the order in the apex court. The apex court also refused to interfere in the proceedings and a bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Rohinton Nariman observed that prima-facie they were of the opinion that Rahul Gandhi will have to face trial. Apex court had also refused to exempt Rahul from appearing personally before the trial court.

Rahul Gandhi’s lawyer submitted before the trial court that the bail plea had been filed and the surety was given on May 8, 2016 along with an undertaking stating that Rahul will appear in court when required.

Petitioner’s advocate said that “if Rahul is ready to accept his mistake then we are ready to withdraw the case and have no objection to his bail. We believe in forgive and forget.”

The bail was granted on a personal surety of Shivraj Patil who submitted documents of some land in Latur. The next date of hearing is January 30, which ironically is the same day that Mahatma Gandhi died.

This article has been made possible because of financial support from Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation.