Bhiwandi court records complainant's statement in defamation case against Rahul Gandhi over remark against RSS; next hearing on July 1

Thane: A court in Maharashtra's Thane district on Saturday recorded the statement of the complainant who has accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of defaming the RSS by linking it to Mahatma Gandhi's assassination.
However, the recording of the statement was incomplete and it will be further recorded at the next hearing. Rajesh Kunte had filed a defamation case against Rahul Gandhi in Bhiwandi court against Rahul Gandhi over his statement at a rally in 2014. He said Rahul Gandhi had defamed the organisation accusing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh of being involved in Mahatma Gandhi's assassination.
"The statement was false and tarnished the RSS's image," the complaint claimed.
Court had framed charges against Rahul Gandhi in June 2018 under IPC sections 499 and 500 for defamation and had given him exemption from physically appearing in court on every hearing.
On Saturday, Rahul Gandhi's lawyers filed an undertaking with the names of the lawyers who will appear on his behalf in this case.
The Congress leader, however, withdrew his petition filed in the apex court in September 2016, challenging the case, saying he would face the trial.
The next hearing in the case will take place on July 1. (ANI)