Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala appears in Gujarat court in defamation case, granted bail

Ahmedabad: The national spokesperson of Congress and chief of the party’s communication department Randeep Surjewala today appeared before a local court here in connection with a defamation case in which party’s former president Rahul Gandhi was also an accused.

Surjewala was granted bail on furnishing a bond of Rs 15 thousand when he appeared in the court Court No 13 of woman Addl Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Ms Nirali B Munshi. Spokesperson of Gujarat Congress Manish Doshi became guarantor for his bail.

The same court had granted bail to Rahul Gandhi in this case on July 12 on his personal appearance.

The case regarding their remarks, statements and social media posts about the alleged large-scale deposit of scrapped Rs 500 and 1000 notes in Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank (ADC bank), of which incumbent union home minister and BJP president Amit Shah was a director, during just five days after announcement of demonetization on November 8, 2016 was filed by bank Chairman Ajay Patel in August last year. Apart from Rahul Gandhin, Surjewala was also made accused in the case filed by the bank chairman Ajay Patel.

Congress party had said that over 20 cases including this one have been filed against Rahul Gandhi in various courts around India by RSS/ BJP workers to try and intimidate and harass him.

The court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate had earlier examined the witnesses and observed that prima facie it appears to be a case of defamation.

The court had earlier on August 27 last year ordered an inquiry under section 202 of the CrPC in the matter before proceeding further on the complaint lodged in the court by ADC bank chairman Ajay Patel on the same day. Patel with his complaint had also attached the copy of a CD and transcripts of the statements, tweets etc of the accused.

Notably in June last year Surjewala had during a press conference alleged that ADC bank received the highest amount of old demonetized notes, worth Rs 745.58 crore, in just five days after the note ban was announced on November 8, 2016 by PM Modi. It was the only one of the 370 district cooperative banks across the country to receive such a large sum of demonetized notes in five days.

“ADCB chairman Ajay Patel is a prominent BJP leader, a close associate of Amit Shah. Five days after demonetization, all cooperative banks were banned from accepting demonetized notes with the pretence of preventing money laundering through them,’ Surjewala had said. He had also alleged that in 11 district cooperative banks in Gujarat headed by BJP leaders, including those in Ahmedabad and Rajkot, Rs 3,118.51 crore worth of old notes were deposited within five days of demonetization.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi had also taken a jibe at BJP and Shah with his tweet on June 22.

“Congratulations Amit Shah ji , Director, Ahmedabad Dist. Cooperative Bank, on your bank winning 1st prize in the conversion of old notes to new race. 750 Cr in 5 days! Millions of Indians whose lives were destroyed by demonetisation, salute your achievement,” Rahul had tweeted.

Patel in his complaint has alleged that the false accusation by Congress leaders had affected the image of the bank and they were liable to action under defamation laws.

DeshGujarat