Thane, Feb 21 : A magistrate court at Bhiwandi in the district has now fixed the next date for hearing in the Rahul Gandhi defamation case on May 15, it was stated here on Sunday.
Counsel for Mr Gandhi, senior Congress leader advocate Narayan Iyer told this reporter that the hearing in the case was held on Saturday in the court of First Class Judicial Magistrate, J V Paliwal, when Adv P P Jaywant, counsel for the complainant, sought an adjournment in the hearing citing that an order challenged by them in the Bombay high court was pending.
To which, the Magistrate informed Adv Jaywant that the high court had not stayed the proceedings.
The Counsel for Mr Gandhi sought an exemption from appearance, citing the Covid advisory by the Government of Maharashtra.
In his order, the Magistrate stated, “Considering the submission of both parties, both parties agreed that the order is under challenge before the High Court. Hence the matter adjourned till next date ….”
The court allowed exemption to Mr Gandhi and fixed the next date for hearing on May 15, when the statement of the complainant will be recorded in the court, added Mr Iyer.
A criminal defamation case was filed against Mr Gandhi by an RSS worker from Bhiwandi, Rahul Kunte, over the Congress leader’s alleged remarks at an election rally on March 6, 2014, linking the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination.
The Bhiwandi court has already framed the charges against Mr Gandhi in the case in 2018 and he had even appeared in the court in person.(UNI)