Mumbai: A Maharashtra court on Saturday heard the arguments on Rahul Gandhi’s plea seeking exemption from appearance in a defamation case and adjourned the matter for hearing on April 15, media reports said.

The case stems from a 2014 private complaint filed by RSS activist Rajesh Kunte in the Bhiwandi magistrate's court over Gandhi’s speech where he allegedly accused the RSS of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination.

Rahul Gandhi had responded to the court’s summons in 2018 and pleaded not guilty.

Gandhi filed an application last year requesting to be excused permanently from attending court proceedings, stating that he was a Member of Parliament and needed to visit his constituency, engage in party-related work and travel extensively.

However, Khunte has now argued that Gandhi has been disqualified as an MP after being sentenced two to years jail by a Surat court in a defamation case and the Congress leader’s excuse for exemption does not hold ground.

Appearing for Gandhi, advocate Narayan Iyer challenged the disqualification of the Congress leader in the court of First Class Judicial Magistrate LC Wadikar on Saturday.

He argued that only the President has the power to take such action.

He stated the former Congress chief is prepared to challenge his conviction in the defamation case by the Surat court.

Kunte’s lawyer Prabhod Jaywant urged the court to take note of their pursis (written note/information) and decide accordingly while passing the order.