Summary:
Mumbai, Sep 20 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed a plea filed by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh functionary Rajesh Kunte, seeking that the transcript of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi"s speech made in 2014, in which he allegedly blamed the RSS for Mahatma Gandhi"s assassination, be admitted as evidence in a criminal defamation case against him.
Kunte had approached the HC in 2019, challenging an order of the Bhiwandi magistrate"s court passed in September 2018 which dismissed his request to admit such charge sheet as evidence.
On Monday, a single bench of Bombay HC presided over by Justice Revati Mohite Dere "dismissed" Kunte"s plea.
Gandhi is facing trial in a criminal defamation case following an FIR filed against him by Kunte in 2014 after the said speech.
As per Kunte"s plea, on March 6, 2014, Gandhi made a speech in Bhiwandi during an election rally where he allegedly said that "RSS people" had killed Mahatma Gandhi.
Soon after, Kunte, who is the secretary of Bhiwandi unit of the RSS, lodged an FIR against Rahul Gandhi.