Rahul pleads not guilty in defamation case by Ahmedabad bank, gets bail

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was Friday granted bail by a court here after he pleaded not guilty in a criminal defamation suit filed by Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank, in which Union Home Minister Amit Shah is one of the directors, and its chairman Ajay Patel.

The defamation suit was filed by the bank against Gandhi after he alleged that it had swapped Rs 750 crore in scrapped currency with valid notes within five days of announcement of demonetisation on November 8, 2016.

Gandhi Friday appeared before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate N B Munshi and he pleaded not guilty for the charges levelled against him.

The court granted him bail on a personal bond and surety of Rs 15,000 each. It will next hear the case on September 7.

The defamation suit was filed last year following a tweet by the Congress leader.

ADC Bank and Patel dragged Gandhi to court saying he had levelled "false and defamatory allegations".

The court Friday granted bail to the Congress leader under section 436 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, though his lawyer B M Mangukiya argued that Gandhi did not need to file a bail application as it is not required when a summons is issued.

S V Raju, the complainants' lawyer, argued that he needed to file a bail application.

Several Gujarat Congress leaders accompanied Gandhi to the court where a large number of supporters had gathered.

Gandhi is facing multiple defamation cases across the country.

Talking to reporters later, he said, "There is an attempt to suppress, threaten, but this does not affect me. I do not get scared. I will stand and continue to fight.

"This is a fight for the Constitution, the country's future, against corruption, against atrocity. This will continue."
"I thank them for providing me these platforms & opportunities to take my ideological battle against them to the public. Satyameva Jayate."