Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appeared before the MP/MLA court in Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur on Friday in connection with a defamation case linked to his alleged remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah. His statement was recorded in court.
The total proceedings lasted around 20 minutes. The court has fixed March 9 as the next date of hearing. According to his counsel, Gandhi reached the court on time and complied with the directive to record his statement. The court had earlier granted him a final opportunity to appear in person.
Gandhi maintained that the case had been filed against him out of "political malice". He travelled to Sultanpur by road from Lucknow airport and left after completing the required formalities. Heavy security arrangements were put in place at the civil court premises.
A dog squad conducted a thorough search of the complex to prevent any untoward incident. A large police contingent, including an Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) and four Circle Officers (COs), was deployed to maintain order. Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai and Rajya Sabha member Pramod Tiwari were present outside the court premises when Rahul Gandhi was recording his statement.
Party leaders described the appearance as part of a routine judicial process and expressed confidence in the judiciary. Earlier, Congress workers extended a grand welcome to Rahul Gandhi at the Lucknow Airport, from where his convoy proceeded to Sultanpur via Mohanlalganj and Raebareli under tight security cover.
The defamation complaint was filed by Vijay Mishra, a BJP leader and former president of the District Cooperative Bank, over alleged derogatory remarks made by Rahul Gandhi against Amit Shah during a public meeting in Karnataka in 2018.
Gandhi had earlier appeared before the court on July 26, 2024. Following his absence on subsequent dates, the court on January 19 directed him to appear in person on February 20. The matter will now be taken up for further hearing on March 9.