Bengaluru: On Friday, a court in Bengaluru granted bail to senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case filed by Karnataka BJP MLC Keshav Prasad.
Gandhi appeared before the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court, with former MP and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s brother, D.K. Suresh, providing surety with property worth Rs 75 lakh. The court has postponed the matter until July 30. Advocates and Congress party workers crowded the court premises to welcome Gandhi.
After the proceedings, Congress supporters chanted slogans in support of Rahul Gandhi. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar left the premises together, while a cheerful Gandhi waved at party workers from his vehicle.
Earlier, Gandhi was received at the airport by Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.
The defamation case claims the Congress spread propaganda through full-page advertisements accusing the previous BJP government in Karnataka of charging a 40 percent commission on government projects. Prasad argued that during last year’s Assembly elections, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar made false allegations to mislead the public, warranting action under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar appeared in court on June 1 and were granted bail. Gandhi, also a party to the case, was absent despite having previously provided an undertaking. The counsel for the BJP leader had requested a non-bailable arrest warrant against him.
