Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appeared before the MP-MLA court in Sultanpur on Friday for a hearing in a defamation case.

The court fixed August 12 as the next date of hearing in the matter when the statement of the petitioner will be recorded.

Court sources said Gandhi need not appear in the court again on that date.

Congress district president Abhishek Singh Rana confirmed that Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, appeared in the court.

Local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vijay Mishra filed a defamation case on August 4, 2018, against Gandhi for making alleged objectionable remarks against the then BJP president and current Home Minister Amit Shah.

The court granted bail to Gandhi in this case on February 20.