RSS defamation case against RaGa: Framing of charges deferred

A Bhiwandi court on Monday deferred farming of charges in a defamation case against Congress president Rahul Gandhi due to his absence from the court.

Bhiwandi Judicial Magistrate A A Shaikh was slated to frame charges, a crucial prosecution step heralding formal trial, in the case filed by an RSS worker.

The court, however, adjourned the matter to May 2 after the counsel for Gandhi informed it that his client was not able to appear before it owing to his pressing political engagements.

Gandhi's lawyer Narayan Iyer also filed an application seeking a detailed recording of evidence instead of a `summary trial'.

Local RSS worker Rajesh Kunte has filed the criminal defamation case, alleging that Rahul Gandhi accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh of killing Mahatma Gandhi, and thus slandered its reputation.

Kunte had filed the case against Gandhi over the Congress president's alleged statement at an election rally near Bhiwandi in Thane district of the on March 6, 2014 that "the RSS people had killed (Mahatma) Gandhi."

Gandhi's counsel Iyer said he filed an application to the court for recording of detailed evidence in the case and converting the present `summary trial' into a `summons trial.'

It is a landmark case, therefore, detailed evidence, including the witnesses' testimonies, should be recorded, which doesn't happen during summary proceedings, Iyer said.