Thane, June 12 (UNI) Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday pleaded 'not guilty' before a local court in Bhiwandi as the court framed charges against him in a criminal defamation case filed by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker.
RSS worker in his petition has alleged that Mr Rahul during a speech in Bhiwandi on 6 March 2016 has said "RSS people killed Gandhiji....They opposed Sardar Patel and Gandhiji.'
After the hearing, the court framed charges against Mr Rahul under IPC section 499 (offence of defamation) and sec 500 (punishment for defamation).
“You have defamed the complainant’s organisation and have said ‘RSS ke logon ne goli maari aur Sardar Patel ne likha hain.’ Therefore, the reputation of the complainant and the organisation was harmed under section 499 and section 500,” the Magistrate said.
However, the Congress president refuted the charges and pleaded "not guilty.'
The court on May 2 has asked Mr Rahul to appear on June 12 to record the plea in the criminal defamation case.
Mr Rahul was accompanied by Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee president Ashok Chavan and several other senior leaders.
In the court room, the counsel appearing for Mr Rahul--Narayan Iyer and for complainant Mr Kunte--Dharghalkar, argued over the issue of the submissions made by Mr Rahul in the Bombay High Court where he had submitted the transcript of his speech made during election rally at Bhiwandi on March 6,2014.
Mr Kunte said that in an affidavit filed before Bombay HC, Mr Rahul had admitted to his words against the RSS and asked the court to take the affidavit in the record.
Mr Rahul's council agreed to share the affidavit.
Addressing the media after the hearing, the Congress president said, 'BJP government is for the rich. The media shows the brighter side. Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not speak on the issues like unemployment, farm crisis and rising fuel prices. They keep putting cases on me and can keep doing so. This is my fight for ideology and will fight till the end.'
Mr Rahul has been out on bail since November 16, 2016 on the personal surety of senior Congress leader Shivraj Patil.
The next hearing in the case is on August 10.
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