‘No code violation in Rahul Gandhi’s MP speech,’ says EC

New Delhi, May 02: The Election Commission (EC) has given a clean chit to Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his remarks in which he had called Amit Shah a murder accused. The comments were made during a rally in Madhya Pradesh.

The poll body on Wednesday had served a notice on Rahul Gandhi for a speech at Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh on April 23. He has been asked to reply within 48 hours.

Gandhi, who was addressing election rallies in Madhya Pradesh, also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale controversy, saying an inquiry into the defence deal will be instituted if the Congress comes to power. Then, mentioning Shah, he added: "Murder accused BJP chief Amit Shah, wow, how majestic!"

In 2014, a special court discharged Shah in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati fake encounter killing cases, ruling that there was "no case" against him and that he had been implicated for "political reasons". Sheikh, a wanted criminal, was killed in an alleged encounter in November 2005. His wife was allegedly raped and killed three days later, and his aide Tulsiram Prajapati was shot dead by the police in December 2006. Of the 38 people accused in the case, only 22 stood trial.

The final arguments in the case ended on December 5. Out of the 210 witnesses examined, 92 were declared hostile. The special CBI court hearing the case, on December 21, acquitted all the accused. In its judgement, the court said the prosecution could not prove a conspiracy beyond reasonable doubt.

Madhya Pradesh is voting in four phases starting on April 29. The other voting days are May 6, 12 and 19.