A court in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has dismissed a petition requesting a voice sample of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case initiated by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) functionary. The case is scheduled for its next hearing on May 11.
Background of the Case
The plea was submitted by BJP member Vijay Mishra through his legal representative, Santosh Kumar Pandey. It sought Gandhi’s voice sample to conduct a forensic comparison with an audio clip allegedly containing objectionable remarks. However, Magistrate Shubham Verma rejected the application, observing that since Gandhi had not denied that the voice in the compact disc (CD) submitted to the court was his, there was no necessity for a voice sample matching through the forensic science laboratory.
Legal Proceedings
Following the dismissal, Pandey stated that they would file a revision plea before the sessions court challenging the order. The defamation suit dates back to 2018, when Mishra alleged that Gandhi made offensive comments targeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah during campaigning for the Karnataka Assembly elections. After five years of legal proceedings, the court issued a warrant against Gandhi in December 2023. He surrendered before the court in February 2024 and was granted bail on two sureties of Rs 25,000 each by a special magistrate.
Gandhi’s Statement
On July 26 last year, the Congress leader recorded his statement before the court, asserting his innocence and characterizing the case as a political conspiracy. Earlier this year, multiple hearings were postponed due to a strike by lawyers and the ill health of Gandhi’s counsel.
Next Steps
The court has now posted the matter for the next hearing on May 11. The BJP functionary’s legal team is expected to pursue a revision plea in the sessions court.
