Key facts
- A defamation case against Rahul Gandhi has been revived.
- The case relates to remarks made about individuals acquitted in the Hathras rape case.
- A court admitted a revision petition on Monday.
- The next hearing is scheduled for July 15.
- The acquitted individuals were involved in the 2020 Boolgarhi incident.
A defamation case filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in connection with remarks made about acquitted individuals in the Hathras Boolgarhi rape case has been revived. A revision petition was admitted by an MP/MLA Court of Additional District Judge Vijay Kumar II on Monday, with the next hearing scheduled for July 15. This comes after the May 13 order by Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division) Deepak Nath Saraswati, who had dismissed the complaint against Gandhi.
The case is linked to the 2020 Boolgarhi incident, where three men—Ravi, Ram Kumar alias Ramu, and Lavkush—were acquitted of rape charges. Their advocate, Munna Singh Pundir, stated that the three men were initially not named in the case but were later implicated. The CBI investigated the matter, and the trial lasted for approximately two-and-a-half years, during which the accused were incarcerated before their acquittal.
According to Pundir, Gandhi made remarks during a visit to Boolgarhi village on December 12, 2024, suggesting the acquitted accused were roaming free while the victim's family remained confined. Pundir asserted that this statement was considered defamatory by the acquitted men. Subsequently, a legal notice seeking Rs 1.5 crore in damages, Rs 50 lakh for each of the three men, was sent to Gandhi, followed by a complaint filed before the ACJM court.