Ranchi: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has been granted conditional bail today by the MP-MLA Special Court in Chalibasa in connection with the defamation case filed against him by a BJP leader.
Gandhi appeared before Judge Supriya Rani Tigga at 11 am, complying with an earlier directive of the Jharkhand High Court, which had temporarily stayed a non-bailable warrant issued against him. The court granted him bail on the condition that he would extend full cooperation with the trial proceedings.
The case pertains to alleged defamatory remarks made by the leader during a Congress convention on March 28, 2018, where Gandhi had reportedly targeted BJP leaders. A complaint was filed by BJP functionary Pratap Kumar in the Chaibasa court, initiating the legal process.
Following jurisdictional transfers between the Chaibasa court and the Ranchi MP-MLA court, and Gandhi’s repeated non-appearance despite summons, the Chaibasa court first issued a bailable warrant, followed by a non-bailable one. His plea for exemption was initially rejected by the lower court.
On June 10, the Jharkhand High Court stayed the NBW and allowed Gandhi time until August 6 to appear. His counsel Dipankar had argued that Gandhi was unable to attend the hearing on the previously scheduled date of June 26.
As the case involves only bailable sections, legal experts had anticipated that bail would be granted. The trial will now proceed with the court directing Gandhi to remain cooperative throughout the legal proceedings.
UNI
