Bhiwandi court accepts Rahul’s guarantor in defamation case

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appeared before a Bhiwandi magistrate’s court on Saturday to furnish a fresh surety in a 2014 defamation case filed by an RSS functionary Rajesh Kunte. While his convoy was on its way to the Bhiwandi court in Thane BJP workers shouted slogans and showed him black flags at Mulund toll booth.

Speaking about the case, Advocate Prabodh Jaywant said, “Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had received bail, but since the original surety holder, Shivraj Patil Chakurkar, passed away, he had to secure bail again today. Rahul Gandhi had made a statement against the RSS, claiming that its members were responsible for Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, after which RSS functionary Rajesh Kunte had filed a case against Rahul in the Bhiwandi court”.

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Accordingly, Rahul Gandhi named Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal as his new bail bond guarantor. His lawyer Narayan Iyer said the Bhiwandi court accepted Congress Maharashtra state president Harshwardhan Sapkal as his bail surety holder.

“This is a private defamation complaint. A new surety was submitted by Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Harshwardhan Sapkal and the court has accepted it. The case is proceeding on a fast-track basis, and the party is cooperating with the court with full faith in the judicial system. There is no question of an apology, as Rahul Gandhi has already stated before the Supreme Court that he is ready to face trial and present the truth before the court,” said the lawyer.

The defamation case against Rahul Gandhi was filed by an RSS functionary Rajesh Kunte after he stated during an election rally on March 6, 2014 that “The RSS shot Mahatma Gandhi and now they are using his name to campaign for elections”.

Earlier on Saturday morning, Rahul Gandhi landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) and travelled by road to neighbouring Thane district to appear before a Bhiwandi court in the 2014 defamation case. The police had made elaborate security arrangements for his visit to prevent any confrontation between workers of the ruling and opposition parties, but a group of BJP supporters staged a protest at Mulund toll naka, raised slogans and waved black flags against Rahul.

“Rahul Gandhi always opposes whatever Prime Minister Modi does. Youth Congress workers raised slogans at the AI Summit maligning India’s image. That is why we protested against Rahul,” a BJP supporter said.

However, Congress leader Sachin Sawant called the BJP protest as “an attempt to divert attention from key national issues,” alleging that Modi had “surrendered” before US President Donald Trump and demanded clarity on matters related to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Sawant also alleged that the BJP had “compromised” the future of farmers in Maharashtra and India, by placing their interests at stake in the trade deal with the US.

Later, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP criticised BJP’s black flag protest, calling it a “disrespectful” departure from democratic norms.

“Rahul Gandhi holds a constitutional post as the Leader of the Opposition in the country’s Lok Sabha. It is fundamentally wrong to show black flags to him in such a manner. This is not how a democracy should function. Rahul Gandhi raises the issues of common Indians. He is a patriot through and through,” Sharad Pawar-led NCP Thane city chief Manoj Pradhan said.