Lucknow court imposes Rs 200 fine on Rahul Gandhi for skipping hearings

A Lucknow court imposed a fine of Rs 200 on former Congress president and leader of the opposition in the Lok sabha Rahul Gandhi for being absent from the hearings in a case against him.

The case against Rahul pertained to his reported remarks on freedom fighter Veer Savarkar made in Maharashtra in 2022. The court of additional chief judicial magistrate directed that the money be given to the lawyer of the complainant.

The lawyer of the complainant Nripendra Pandey said that Rahul had called Savarkar ‘Servant of the Britishers’’.  He also claimed that pamphlets demeaning Savarkar were distributed before Rahul’s press conference.

Rahul’s remarks had triggered a huge controversy and a case charging Rahul with spreading hatred was registered against him in Lucknow in this regard.

The lawyer for Rahul submitted that the Congress leader was preoccupied with the ongoing session of the Parliament and filed an application seeking exemption from personal appearance.

The court fixed April 14 as the next date of hearing of the matter and warned that the Congress leader’s absence would be viewed seriously.