THANE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday appeared before the Bhiwandi magistrate's court to furnish a fresh surety in a 2014 defamation case filed by an RSS activist, naming the party's Maharashtra chief Harshwardhan Sapkal as his new guarantor.
Gandhi, who faced a black-flag protest by BJP workers on his way to Bhiwandi in Thane district, reached the court premises with Sakpal and other senior party leaders.
The Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition was required to appear before the court in person in the case following the death of his previous guarantor, former Union Minister Shivraj Patil Chakurkar, who passed away in December last year.
The legal proceedings, which involved Gandhi signing a fresh bail bond, were completed within half an hour. Sakpal has been presented as his new guarantor in the case.
Speaking to reporters, Gandhi's counsel Narayan Iyer confirmed that the procedural formalities were successful.
"We have full faith in the Indian judiciary and are confident that justice will be served. While Gandhi has been granted permanent exemption from personal appearance in future hearings, we will present our defence witnesses at the appropriate time," Iyer said.
He said that the cross-examination of the investigating officer (IO) would resume now that the bail formalities are complete, clarifying that there was no examination of Gandhi scheduled for the day.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activist Rajesh Kunte filed a complaint in the court alleging that the Congress leader, while speaking at a rally at Sonale village during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, stated that the Sangh was behind the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.
The false remark maligned the RSS's image, claimed Kunte in his complaint under section 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code.
Kunte's cross-examination and re-examination during the trial are over.