BENGALURU: Close on the heels of being convicted in a defamation case, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been named as an accused in another similar case, this time by the Karnataka unit of the BJP party.
Along with Rahul Gandhi, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and its president DK Shivakumar (now Deputy Chief Minister), as well as Siddaramaiah, the former leader of opposition (now chief minister), have been arraigned as accused.
Acting on the defamation case filed by BJP state secretary Keshavaprasad, a special court for trial of cases filed against sitting as well as former MPs/MLAs, triable by the Magistrate in Karnataka, has stated that the complainant has made out a prima facie case to take cognizance of the offences under Section 499 and 500 of IPC.
In an order passed on Tuesday, Special Judge J Preeth has posted the case for the sworn statement of the complainant and any witnesses by July 27, 2023. The complainant had alleged that in the advertisement given on May 5, 2023, in all mainstream newspapers, the accused had made fanciful, baseless, foundationless, and irrational allegations against the complainant party.
The complainant had further claimed that in the said fake advertisement, false and reckless allegations were made under the title “Corruption Rate card,” based on the fanciful imagination of the accused.
“The statements made in the newspaper publications on the first page of all the aforementioned newspapers are purely imaginary and fictitious,” the complainant further stated.
The advertisement in the newspapers contained reckless imputations regarding the BJP. It was stated that the first accused, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, and the other three accused had conspired and planned to defame the BJP by leveling false allegations, as alleged by the complainant.
The advertisement provided rates for various positions under the names of appointment and transfer rates, and it was also claimed that Rahul Gandhi had shared this advertisement on his Twitter account. “The advertisement featured images of accused D K Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, seeking votes for the Congress. This indicates that both the accused were directly responsible for all the false statements in the advertisement,” the complaint further stated.
Along with Rahul Gandhi, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and its president DK Shivakumar (now Deputy Chief Minister), as well as Siddaramaiah, the former leader of opposition (now chief minister), have been arraigned as accused.
Acting on the defamation case filed by BJP state secretary Keshavaprasad, a special court for trial of cases filed against sitting as well as former MPs/MLAs, triable by the Magistrate in Karnataka, has stated that the complainant has made out a prima facie case to take cognizance of the offences under Section 499 and 500 of IPC.
In an order passed on Tuesday, Special Judge J Preeth has posted the case for the sworn statement of the complainant and any witnesses by July 27, 2023. The complainant had alleged that in the advertisement given on May 5, 2023, in all mainstream newspapers, the accused had made fanciful, baseless, foundationless, and irrational allegations against the complainant party.
The complainant had further claimed that in the said fake advertisement, false and reckless allegations were made under the title “Corruption Rate card,” based on the fanciful imagination of the accused.
“The statements made in the newspaper publications on the first page of all the aforementioned newspapers are purely imaginary and fictitious,” the complainant further stated.
The advertisement in the newspapers contained reckless imputations regarding the BJP. It was stated that the first accused, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, and the other three accused had conspired and planned to defame the BJP by leveling false allegations, as alleged by the complainant.
The advertisement provided rates for various positions under the names of appointment and transfer rates, and it was also claimed that Rahul Gandhi had shared this advertisement on his Twitter account. “The advertisement featured images of accused D K Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah, seeking votes for the Congress. This indicates that both the accused were directly responsible for all the false statements in the advertisement,” the complaint further stated.
