Court hearing in defamation case against Rahul Gandhi deferred to Nov 13

Thane, Oct 18: Court hearing in a defamation suit filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by an RSS activist from Bhiwandi in Thane district has been put off to November 13, his counsel said on Monday.

The defamation case, filed by RSS activist Rajesh Kunte, related to a speech given by Rahul Gandhi at an election rally in Bhiwandi in 2014. The counsel for Rahul Gandhi, advocate Narayan Iyer, said the hearing in the 2014 case was scheduled before a magistrate in Bhiwandi town on October 16.

As the Bombay High Court had declared October 16 as a holiday, all cases listed for hearing on that day were shifted to November 13, he said.

Speaking at the rally, the Congress MP had alleged that the RSS was behind the killing of Mahatma Gandhi.

Kunte had termed the Congress leader's remarks with respect to Mahatma Gandhi and the RSS as provocative and objectionable, and filed a defamation suit at the Bhiwandi magistrate court. Rahul Gandhi has appeared before the court multiple times and during one of the hearings pleaded not guilty in the case.