RSS defamation case: Rahul Gandhi pleads not guilty as Bhiwandi court frames charges

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday appeared before a trial court in Maharashtra’s Bhiwandi in connection with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) defamation case.

During the hearing, the Congress president pleaded not guilty soon after the court ordered framing of charges against him in the criminal defamation case filed by an RSS activist, according to ANI.

After the hearing, Gandhi slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not talking about employment for youth and farmers and said that his fight was against the government's policies.

"Our fight is against the policies of the prime minister. Farmers are frustrated and the prime minister does not talk about employment for youth. This government is only for the rich," Gandhi told reporters outside the Bhiwandi court.

The trial court framed charges against Gandhi under the sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The case against the Gandhi scion was filed for his speech at an election rally where he had claimed that the RSS was behind the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.

Earlier on May 2, the court had asked Gandhi to appear before it on June 6 (Today) to record his plea in the defamation case filed by RSS worker Rajesh Kunte in 2014.