RSS defamation case: Rahul Gandhi appears in Maharashtra court

Rahul Gandhi today appeared in a court at Bhiwandi here in connection with a criminal defamation case for allegedly blaming RSS for assassination of Mahatma Gandhi though the Supreme Court had yesterday stayed proceedings against him in the matter.

The Congress Vice President presented himself before Magistrate D P Kale in line with the commitment given by his counsel on March 30. The court posted the case for September 30.

Gandhi, who spent less than 15 minutes in court, told reporters that he had come to honour the commitment given to the court.

"We respect the judiciary, that is why I am here. I had made a commitment to the court. I am here to fulfil that commitment," Gandhi said in a post on his official twitter handle.

"The fight which Gandhi ji fought is our fight. We will fight that and we will win," another tweet said.

He arrived in Mumbai this morning on way to Bengaluru and drove to Thane.

The Supreme Court had yesterday stayed the proceedings against him in the criminal defamation case filed by Rajesh Kunte, an RSS functionary, before Bhiwandi trial court for allegedly blaming RSS for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.

"There shall be stay of further proceedings in a case pending before the trial court till the next date of hearing," a bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and P C Pant had said yesterday.

The court had also tagged Gandhi's petition in which he has also challenged the constitutional validity of the panel provisions dealing with criminal defamation along with that of politicians of rival parities, BJP's Subramanian Swamy and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Rajesh Kunte, the complainant, had alleged that the Congress leader said at an election rally at Sonale in Thane district on March 6 last year that an RSS worker killed Mahatma Gandhi. Kunte is secretary of the Bhiwandi unit of RSS.

After he lodged the complaint, the magistrate issued notice to Rahul Gandhi for his appearance.