A special MP-MLA court in Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur district has directed Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi to appear before it later this month in connection with a defamation case stemming from comments made during the 2018 Karnataka Assembly election campaign.

The court issued the summons after reviewing proceedings in the case on Wednesday, following the completion of witness examination. Rahul Gandhi has been asked to be present in court on January 19, when the matter will move to its next stage.

The case was filed by BJP leader Vijay Mishra, who alleged that remarks made by Rahul Gandhi during an election rally in Karnataka had defamed Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was then serving as the BJP national president.

During the latest hearing, which lasted around 40 minutes, Gandhi’s legal team completed the cross-examination of a key prosecution witness, Ram Chandra Dubey. With the questioning concluded, the court fixed the next date for Gandhi’s appearance and further proceedings.

The defamation complaint dates back to August 2018, when Mishra approached the court claiming that Gandhi’s statements during the campaign were derogatory and damaging to Shah’s reputation. The case has since seen multiple delays and procedural stages over the years.

In December 2023, the court had issued a warrant against Rahul Gandhi after he failed to appear in person. He later surrendered before the court in February 2024 and was granted bail upon furnishing sureties. In July 2024, Gandhi recorded his statement, rejecting the allegations and describing the case as politically motivated.