RSS defamation case: Rahul Gandhi seems in Bhiwandi courtroom

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (February 21, 2026) reached a Justice of the Peace’s courtroom in Maharashtra’s Thane district to furnish a brand new surety within the defamation case filed towards him by an RSS activist.

Whereas Mr. Gandhi is on his strategy to Bhiwandi from Mumbai, BJP staff present black flags to him in Mumbai. The BJP staff name it response to Youth Congress protest at AI Summit on February 20.

The Bhiwandi Justice of the Peace’s courtroom had requested Mr. Gandhi to current a contemporary surety within the case, as former Union Dwelling Minister Shivraj Patil, who had stood as his surety or guarantor, handed away in December final 12 months.

Earlier, the Chief of the Opposition within the Lok Sabha reached Mumbai by Air India flight and from there he went to the Bhiwandi courtroom by street.

He’ll current Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Harshwardhan Sapkal as the brand new surety within the case.

The decide particularly instructed Mr. Gandhi to be current in particular person to finish the formalities associated to the brand new surety, his lawyer had earlier mentioned.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh activist Rajesh Kunte filed a grievance within the courtroom alleging that the Congress chief, whereas talking at a rally at Sonale village in the course of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, said that the Sangh was behind the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.

Thane police have additional strengthened safety in and across the courtroom premises. Outlets inside a 100-meter radius of the courtroom have additionally been closed as a precautionary measure. The heightened safety comes forward of the high-profile courtroom look of the Congress chief.

After the listening to, Mr. Gandhi will likely be returning to Mumbai Airport by street and will likely be leaving to New Delhi by about 4 p.m.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)