Bengaluru court grants bail to Rahul Gandhi in defamation case filed by BJP
The party's Karnataka unit accused Congress of resorting to “publication of derogatory advertisements against the party” in mainstream newspapers before the 2023 state assembly elections
A special court in Bengaluru on June 7 (Friday) granted bail to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case filed by the BJP’s Karnataka unit following “publication of derogatory advertisements against the party” in mainstream newspapers before the 2023 state assembly elections.
The defamation case was filed by Karnataka BJP MLC Keshav Prasad, alleging that the Congress resorted to propaganda by publishing full-page advertisements accusing the previous BJP government in the state of charging a 40 per cent commission for providing government projects. He argued that during the assembly elections, senior Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar had made false allegations to misguide the people of the state and should face action under Section 500 of the IPC.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy Shivakumar appeared before the court on June 1 and obtained bail. Rahul Gandhi, who is also a party to the case, remained absent despite giving an undertaking and counsel for the BJP leader sought that a non-bailable arrest warrant be issued against him.