Rahul Gandhi pleads 'not guilty' in defamation case against him

In yet another defamation case against the former Indian National Congress president Rahul Gandhi, he has pleaded 'not guilty'. In the defamation case against him, Rahul Gandhi has been alleged of calling Amit Shah a 'murder accused' in a rally in Jabalpur while campaigning for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

He was appearing in the court for the hearing of the third defamation case against him in Gujarat in the last 24 hours. During the hearing of the third defamation case, Rahul Gandhi pleaded 'not guilty' in the court. The court also asked the former Congress President to pay the bail bond of Rs 10,000. During the hearing, Rahul Gandhi also appealed for an exemption from appearing in the further proceedings of the case, to which he was granted an exemption. The next hearing of the case will be on December 7. 

Gandhi also completed a formality in another defamation case by the ADC bank, against him and a close party aide, Randeep Surjewala.

READ | Rahul Gandhi leaves court after pleading not guilty in defamation case

ADC Bank defamation case

ADC bank had filed a defamation case against Rahul Gandhi and Randeep Surjewala for making statements in a press conference stating that 'Amit Shah had used the bank for his monetary gains during demonetisation and had converted at least ₹750 crores.'

READ | Rahul Gandhi to visit Gujarat on October 10 to face defamation cases

The ADC bank chairman had filed a case against the Congress leaders. In August, Rahul Gandhi had appeared for the hearing of the ADC bank defamation case and had paid for a bail bond as well. At the time of the hearing in August, an undertaking was also signed to ensure that Surjewala appeared for the next hearing, which happened today. Post Randeep Surjewala failed to appear before the court, a bailable warrant was issued by Ahmedabad Metro court against him.

" If the bailable warrant which requires Surjewala to appear in the court by December 18, expires, a non-bailable warrant will be issued then," said Ajit Jadeja from the legal team of ADC Bank.

READ | Rahul Gandhi gets bail in a ADC bank defamation case, asked to pay Rs 15,000 surety by Ahmedabad Court

READ | Rahul Gandhi to appear in Gujarat courts in two more defamation cases