Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday appeared before a magistrate’s court in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra’s Thane district, to furnish a new surety in an ongoing defamation case filed against him by an RSS activist.
The court had directed Gandhi to present a fresh surety after former Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who had stood as his guarantor in the case, passed away in December last year. Gandhi submitted Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Harshwardhan Sapkal as his new surety.
The magistrate had specifically instructed the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha to remain present in person to complete the legal formalities related to the change of surety, his lawyer had earlier said.
The case stems from a complaint filed by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activist Rajesh Kunte, who alleged that Gandhi, during a rally at Sonale village in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, stated that the RSS was behind the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Kunte claimed the remark was false and damaged the organisation’s reputation, and filed the complaint under Section 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code.
The trial has progressed with Kunte’s cross-examination and re-examination already completed. The matter, which was initially scheduled for hearing on December 20, 2025, was adjourned to January 17 due to the requirement of a new surety. On January 17, the magistrate further deferred the hearing to February 21.
