Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court on Monday ordered senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to appear in person before the MP-MLA Court in Chaibasa on August 6 in connection with his allegedly defamatory remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha had on June 2 moved the high court challenging the order of the special court, which had directed him to appear before it on June 26.
Gandhi’s counsel informed the high court that his client would not be able to appear on that day and instead requested the high court to grant a later date on August 6 for Gandhi to appear before the Chaibasa court. The high court accepted his request.
A case of defamation has been filed against the Congress MP by one Pratap Kumar for allegedly making defamatory statements against BJP leaders at a rally held in Chaibasa in 2018.
The parliamentarian, in his plea, had earlier mentioned that he has already moved a petition seeking exemption from appearance before the Chaibasa court at this stage of the case.
The petition for exemption of appearance is pending before the high court for adjudication, Gandhi’s plea had said.
The lower court was also informed that the petition for exemption from appearance is pending before the high court.
In spite of this fact, the lower court refused to grant reprieve to Gandhi and ordered him to appear in person before the MP-MLA court in Chaibasa.
Gandhi has been facing the heat in a criminal prosecution filed by Kumar for allegedly having made defamatory remarks against Shah.
Kumar, in his petition filed before the court of the magistrate in Chaibasa, had said that Gandhi’s statements were defamatory and had been made purposely to malign the stature of Shah.
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