• Source:PTI
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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will reach Bengaluru shortly, where he is set to appear before a special court in connection with a defamation case filed by the Karnataka BJP for issuing alleged derogatory advertisements against the saffron party in the mainstream newspapers before the 2003 state assembly elections. The advertisements had accused the then-ruling BJP of engaging in large-scale corruption during its 2019-2023 rule. 

Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar, also a co-accused in the case, informed that Rahul Gandhi will appear before the city civil court in Bengaluru at 10:30 am on Friday. The Congress state unit said that Gandhi will hold a discussion with the Congress' newly-elected MPs and defeated candidates from the state at Bharat Jodo Bhavan on Queens Road at 11.30 am in the presence of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shiavakumar. 

All About The Defamation Case: 

In June last year, the BJP 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 BJP’s complaint mentioned that the ads 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. 

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Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar were granted bail by the Bengaluru court on June 1 when they appeared in the case. 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. 

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