• Source:ANI
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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was on Friday granted bail by a special court in Bengaluru in connection with a defamation case filed by the BJP's Karnataka unit for issuing ‘defamatory’ advertisements in mainstream newspapers. The next hearing is scheduled for July 30. The advertisements had accused the then-ruling BJP of engaging in large-scale corruption during its 2019-2023 rule. Judge K N Shivakumar had earlier directed Gandhi to appear before the court on June 7 without any failure. 

Earlier in the day, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah arrived at Bengaluru airport to receive Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Gandhi reached Bengaluru to respond to a summons issued by a court in a defamation case filed by BJP’s Karnataka unit. 

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Earlier on June 1, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar appeared before the court in connection with the same case and both of them were granted bail. Judge KN Shivakumar issued the order, scheduling Gandhi’s appearance for June 7. During last week’s hearing, Gandhi’s counsel submitted a request for his client's exemption from appearing, which was challenged by the complainant’s side. 

The Congress state unit said that following the court hearing, Rahul Gandhi will hold a discussion with the Congress' newly-elected MPs and defeated candidates from Karnataka at Bharat Jodo Bhavan on Queens Road in the presence of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shiavakumar.

What’s The Defamation Case? 

The BJP in June 2023 complained that the accused involved in the case made false and irresponsible assertions in advertisements published in several Karnataka newspapers on May 5, 2023, during the assembly election campaign. The ads, titled "Corruption Rate Card," accused the government of taking "40 per cent Commission Sarkara (government)."

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The saffron party in its complaint mentioned that the advertisements were shared by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) through its president, Shivakumar, and Siddaramaiah, the former Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly. The saffron party claimed that Rahul Gandhi shared this ‘defamatory advertisement’ on his official X (Twitter) account.