New Delhi (India), June 12 (NT): Congress scion Rahul Gandhi is expected to appear in a court in Bhiwandi in Maharashtra on Tuesday in links with a defamation case lodged by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had not appeared before the court on April 23 and his lawyer had registered an application for exemption.

On January 17, the Bhiwandi Court had ordered Rahul Gandhi to be present on April 23 for framing of charges against him for asserting "RSS people killed Gandhi."

On the same day, the court had permitted Gandhi scion an exemption from the court on an application presented by his lawyer and had set April 23 as a new date for him as he did not appear before the court on that day.

A local RSS functionary, Rajesh Kunte, had lodged the case against the Congress President for claiming at an election rally on March 6, 2014, that the right-wing group had killed Mahatma Gandhi.

In September 2016, Gandhi had taken out his petition filed in the top court, challenging the case and said he would face the trial.

He expressed his readiness to face the trial after the Supreme Court declined to interfere with the criminal proceedings pending against him before the trial court. (NT)