Rahul Gandhi Convoy Accident: Vehicles Collide on Purvanchal Expressway in Sultanpur

New Delhi: During Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's visit to Sultanpur on Monday, several vehicles following his convoy collided with each other on the Purvanchal Expressway. The accident occurred near the 89.5 kilometer milestone near Haliapur in Sultanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. Rahul Gandhi was going to appear before the special MP-MLA court in Sultanpur and attend the judgement proceedings in the 2018 criminal defamation case. According to initial information, Rahul Gandhi is safe. Detailed information regarding the causes of the accident and the injured was not immediately available.  

Where and how did the accident happen?

According to the information, vehicles following Rahul Gandhi's convoy collided with each other on Purvanchal Expressway. The incident took place near Haliyapur area. The initial report did not provide clear information about whether Rahul Gandhi's vehicle was directly involved in the collision or not. Official details were awaited regarding the damage caused to the vehicles and whether anyone was injured after the accident.  

Why was Rahul Gandhi going to Sultanpur?

Rahul Gandhi was to appear in the special MP-MLA court in Sultanpur in the year 2018 in a criminal defamation case related to his alleged objectionable remarks against the then BJP President Amit Shah. The court had fixed October 26 as the date for delivering the verdict in the case. Rahul Gandhi left for Sultanpur from his residence on Monday morning. The court had set a date for the decision after the hearing of the case was completed. 

Regarding which statement was the defamation case filed?

The case pertains to Rahul Gandhi's alleged remarks against Amit Shah at an election event in Bengaluru during the Karnataka Assembly elections in 2018. Local BJP leader and former district cooperative bank president Vijay Mishra had filed the complaint on August 4, 2018. The complainant alleged that the remarks damaged Amit Shah's reputation. The court had summoned Rahul Gandhi to face the case on 27 November 2023 in the case.

What happened in the court so far?

In this case, Rahul Gandhi appeared in the court in February 2024, after which he got bail. After this, the hearing of the case proceeded and legal arguments were presented from both sides. The complainant had also demanded comparison of Rahul Gandhi's voice sample, but the lower court rejected the application. After this, this issue was also challenged in the Sessions Court and Allahabad High Court, but the complainant did not get relief.  

Why were everyone's eyes fixed on the decision?

After completion of the arguments of both the parties in the case, the court had fixed October 26 as the date for delivering the verdict. Instructions were also given by the court regarding the personal presence of Rahul Gandhi. For this reason, political and legal circles were keeping an eye on his arrival in Sultanpur. However, further information was awaited to confirm what impact the accident on Purvanchal Expressway had on his travel.