Thane: A Bhiwandi court on Monday deferred framing of charges in a defamation case against Congress president Rahul Gandhi due to his absence from the court. Bhiwandi judicial magistrate A.A. Shaikh was slated to frame charges, a crucial prosecution step heralding formal trial, in the case filed by an RSS worker. The court, however, adjourned the matter to May 2 after the counsel for Mr Gandhi informed it that his client was not able to appear before it owing to his pressing political engagements.
Mr Gandhi’s lawyer Narayan Iyer also filed an application seeking a detailed recording of evidence instead of a summary trial.
Local RSS worker Rajesh Kunte has filed the criminal defamation case, alleging that Mr Rahul Gandhi accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh of killing Mahatma Gandhi, and thus slandered its reputation.
Mr Kunte had filed the case against Mr Gandhi over the Congress president’s alleged statement at an election rally near Bhiwandi in Thane district of the on March 6, 2014 that “the RSS people had killed (Mahatma) Gandhi.” Mr Gandhi’s counsel Iyer said he filed an application to the court for recording of detailed evidence in the case and converting the present summary trial into a summons trial. It is a landmark case, therefore, detailed evidence, including the witnesses’ testimonies, should be recorded, which doesn’t happen during summary proceedings, Mr Iyer said. The court will decide on his application on May 2 and then the charges would be framed, the advocate said.
Mr Rahul Gandhi had moved the Supreme Court seeking quashing of the case earlier.
The apex court had in July 2016, said he should not have resorted to “collective denunciation” of an organisation, and would have to face trial if he did not express regret for his remark.
Mr Gandhi declined to accept the suggestion and expressed willingness to face the trial.
