Hearing of defamation case filed against Rahul by RSS activist adjourned

A magistrate’s court at Bhiwandi in Maharashtra’s Thane district on Saturday adjourned the hearing of a criminal defamation case filed by an RSS worker against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, as a related matter is before the High Court.

Judicial Magistrate (First Class) L C Wadikar scheduled the next hearing for September 16, said advocate Narayan Iyer, Gandhi’s lawyer. Rajesh Kunte, a local worker of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, had in 2014 filed the case over the Congress leader’s alleged statement at an election rally near Bhiwandi on March 6, 2014, that “the RSS people killed (Mahatma) Gandhi.” He, thus, defamed the RSS by making a false claim, Kunte said. Kunte was to be cross-examined by the defence on Saturday, but Gandhi’s lawyer sought adjournment. The Congress leader has approached the Bombay High Court challenging the magistrate’s decision to accept certain documents presented by Kunte as exhibits in the case, and till the HC decides the matter, the magistrate should not proceed with the hearing, he argued. The magistrate accepted the plea and deferred the hearing, advocate Iyer told PTI.