The Karnataka High Court dismissed a criminal defamation case filed by the BJP against Rahul Gandhi for allegedly defaming the party. The case stemmed from a “corruption rate card” ad targeting the previous BJP government during elections. The court found the proceedings to be an abuse of the legal process and set them aside.
A bench led by Justice Sunil Dutt Yadav issued the order, specifically mentioning that the case against Rahul Gandhi was being dropped. The complaint was lodged by BJP’s Keshav Prasad, accusing Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar of spreading false ads against the former BJP-led government.
The complaint alleged that the accused circulated full-page ads in the media, accusing the BJP government of corruption. Rahul Gandhi shared these ads on his social media platform. The advertisement, published on May 5, 2023, in various newspapers, contained unsubstantiated claims against the BJP.
Rahul Gandhi, along with Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, appeared before the court in connection with the case. Shivakumar labeled the case as “false,” attributing it to the BJP. The Congress party had made the “40 per cent commission” accusation a significant campaign issue against the BJP, initially through speeches and later via social media and posters.
