Rahul Gandhi granted bail in defamation case by Bengaluru court
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was granted bail by a special court in Bengaluru on Friday (June 7) in relation to a defamation case lodged by the Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for July 30. BJP leader Keshav Prasad Gandhi filed the complaint against three Congress leaders, including Gandhi, in June 2023, accusing the grand old party of publishing defamatory advertisements in mainstream newspapers ahead of the state assembly election.
Defamation case originates from election campaign advertisements
The Congress's ads, titled "Corruption rate card," accused the then-BJP government of large-scale corruption during its 2019-2023 term. The advertisements specifically alleged that the government was a "40% Commission Sarkara (government)," implying it took a 40% commission on public works and exorbitant bribes for postings and recruitment. The BJP filed a complaint in June 2023, one month after the ads were disseminated, stating that false and reckless allegations were made by the Congress in its May 5, 2023, ads.
Congress's 'Corruption rate card'
Bail granted to Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in defamation case
The complaint further stated that these ads were issued by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee through its president, DK Shivakumar, and state CM Siddaramaiah, the then Leader of the Opposition. The BJP also highlighted that Gandhi shared this "defamatory advertisement" on his social media account. On June 1, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were granted bail after appearing before the court in connection with this case. Judge K N Shivakumar also set June 7 for Gandhi's personal appearance.
