National Desk, 20th February: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was granted bail on February 20 by the Sultanpur court in a 2018 defamation case filed by BJP leader Vijay Mishra, arising from comments Gandhi made against Home Minister Amit Shah. Gandhi’s lawyer, Advocate Santosh Pandey, revealed that the court briefly took Gandhi into custody before accepting his bail application, emphasizing his innocence and the absence of defamatory statements.
Pandey underscored the potential repercussions Gandhi faces, noting a maximum punishment of 2 years if adequate evidence is found. Judge Yogesh Yadav granted bail upon submission of bail bonds. The case originated from remarks made by Rahul Gandhi during a Bengaluru press conference on May 8, 2018, where he allegedly criticized Amit Shah’s involvement in a murder case while serving as BJP president.
In response, Vijay Mishra, former BJP vice president, expressed dismay over Gandhi’s remarks, highlighting his longstanding party affiliation and the personal impact of the allegations. Mishra recounted the process of filing the complaint through legal channels over the past five years, emphasizing the seriousness of the matter from his perspective.
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