Bengaluru: In a significant development on Friday, a Bengaluru court granted bail to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a high-profile defamation case filed by the BJP Karnataka unit.
The case stems from the controversial ‘PayCM’ campaign launched by the Congress ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections last year, which accused the then BJP government of rampant corruption during its 2019-2023 tenure.
The courtroom drama unfolded as Rahul Gandhi arrived at the special court amidst tight security and a swarm of media personnel. The Gandhi scion’s presence was mandated by Judge KN Shivakumar, who had directed him to appear in person today without fail.
The ‘PayCM’ campaign, which featured advertisements in mainstream newspapers, alleged that the BJP government was involved in largescale corrupt activities, stirring significant political controversy.
The defamation case has seen multiple high-profile appearances. Just a week earlier, on June 1, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who also serves as the State Congress chief, appeared before the court. They, too, were granted bail in the same defamation case, highlighting the campaign’s broad implications and the BJP’s serious allegations against the Congress leaders.
The ‘PayCM’ campaign became a focal point of the Congress party’s strategy to unseat the BJP in Karnataka, depicting former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai with a QR code linking to allegations of corruption. The bold and provocative campaign drew national attention and was a critical part of the Congress party’s electoral arsenal.
