A local MP-MLA court in Hathras on Friday recorded statements of two witnesses in a defamation case filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, news agency PTI reported. The statements were recorded for allegedly calling three acquitted youths "accused" in the 2020 Hathras 'gang rape' case.

The district court fixed October 27 as the next date for evidence submission, a lawyer representing the three acquitted youths said.