Bengaluru: Bengaluru court on Friday has granted bail to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in defamation case filed by BJP Karnataka unit. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appeared before a special court in Bengaluru in response to a defamation case filed against him and other party members by the Karnataka BJP unit.
The case, stemming from alleged false campaigning and advertisements in local newspapers during the 2023 state assembly elections, has drawn attention to the contentious political landscape in the region. Gandhi's appearance follows that of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, who were granted bail after appearing in court on June 1.
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said, "I appeared before the judge as a legal guardian instructed by the court. I got the bail. A private complaint was filed against me, KPCC president, and Rahul Gandhi too. Rahul Gandhi will also appear in the court."
Deputy CM Shivakumar dismissed the case as 'false' and attributed it to political motives. He asserted, "It is a false case from the Bharatiya Janata Party on me, Rahul Gandhi, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah."
The backdrop of the case is the intense political rivalry between the Congress and BJP in Karnataka. On May 5, 2023, during the state assembly elections the Congress had accused the BJP of fixing bribes for various posts under the name of 'Corruption rate list'.
The Congress also accused the BJP of taking commission on the supply of Covid- 19 materials, public utility contracts, supply of eggs to schools, road works, and many more.
BJP has filed a private complaint against Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar and Rahul Gandhi alleging that "they have damaged the BJP's image and prevented it from winning the elections by saying it is a trouble engine government, instead of a double engine government."
