Rahul gets bail in defamation case over remarks against Army on two 20,000 bonds

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha and Congress Member of Parliament, Rahul Gandhi, was granted bail by a Lucknow court on Tuesday after he appeared in a defamation case. The case stems from alleged defamatory remarks he purportedly made about Army personnel during his "Bharat Jodo Yatra" in 2022, as confirmed by his counsel, advocate Pranshu Agarwal. This appearance marks another legal hurdle for the prominent Congress leader, but the immediate relief of bail offers some respite.

Following his appearance before the Additional CJM Alok Verma-led MP-MLA Court, Gandhi was granted relief upon furnishing two bonds of ₹20,000 each. The bail formalities were completed after Gandhi submitted the required bail bond and sureties, as directed by the court, allowing him to avoid immediate custody.

Rahul Gandhi had been summoned as an accused in this case after the court took cognisance of the defamation complaint. Prior to this, the Congress leader had sought relief from the high court, but his attempts to get a stay or favorable order there were unsuccessful, necessitating his physical appearance in the Lucknow court today.

Gandhi arrived at a courtroom filled with lawyers, indicating the high profile nature of the case and the interest it generated among the legal fraternity. To manage the proceedings smoothly and avoid a large gathering, he was subsequently taken to the judge's chamber, where the crucial formalities of filing the bail bond and sureties were completed without further public interaction.

Accompanying Gandhi were key figures from the Congress party's state unit, including president Ajay Rai and in-charge Avinash Pande. Their presence underscored the party's solidarity with their leader during this legal proceeding, providing visible support.

Before the hearing, Ajay Rai had commented on Gandhi's schedule, stating, "He (Gandhi) is scheduled to attend the court hearing and would return to Delhi later in the day." Rai also hinted at Gandhi's potential return to Uttar Pradesh in the coming days to visit his constituency, Raebareli, suggesting that despite legal challenges, political engagements remain a priority for the LoP.