Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday appeared before a metropolitan court here in connection with a defamation cases filed against him for calling Union home minister Amit Shah a "murder accused."
During the proceeding, Gandhi pleaded not guilty and tendered an application for bail which was granted by the court. The court adjourned the hearing to December 7. During Lok Sabha campaign in April this year, Gandhi had claimed Shah as "murder accused." Following this, a BJP corporator filed the defamation case alleging that the remark was defamatory. Shah was accused in the Sohrabuddin Shaikh encounter case who was discharged in December 2014 by special CBI court.
Gandhi also appeared in another defamation case in which he had alleged Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank (ADC) involved in a scam during demonetisation drive.
From his twitter handle Gandhi had claimed, "Congratulations Amit Shah ji, Director, Ahmedabad Dist. Cooperative Bank, on your bank winning 1st prize in the conversion of old notes to new race. 750 Cr in 5 days!" He had also added, "millions of India whose lives were destroyed by Demonetisation, salute your achievement."
The tweet also had a picture of Amit Shah on which it was written, "THE DIRECTOR of the bank that collected the highest number of demonetised notes... The PRESIDENT of the party that got 80% richer after demonetisation."
Union home minister Amit Shah happens to be one of the directors of the ADC bank. ADC and its director Ajay Patel moved pleas against Gandhi for defamation. Shah was then BJP president.
On July 12, Rahul had appeared in a court in Ahmedabad in this case and was granted bail.