SC stays defamation proceedings against Rahul Gandhi over 2018 comments
What's the story
The Supreme Court has stayed defamation proceedings against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The case was filed in a Jharkhand court over remarks made by Gandhi about Union Minister Amit Shah in 2018.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued notices to the Jharkhand government and BJP leader Naveen Jha, the complainant in this case.
Case origin
Gandhi's 2018 speech triggers defamation case
The defamation case against Gandhi stemmed from a speech he gave on March 18, 2018. In the address, he had allegedly dragged Shah's name in a murder case.
Jha had filed the complaint against Gandhi, claiming his comments were defamatory.
The SC's interim order to stay the proceedings came after Gandhi's petition to dismiss the defamation case pending before an MP/MLA court in Jharkhand's Chaibasa.
Court proceedings
Jharkhand High Court's stance and Gandhi's legal argument
Earlier, the Jharkhand High Court had refused to quash the trial court's summons to Gandhi. This lower court had issued a non-bailable warrant against him in February 2024.
Senior Advocate Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared for Gandhi in the Supreme Court, contended that only an aggrieved person can file a criminal defamation complaint, not a third party.
The apex court will revisit this matter in six weeks.
Bail granted
Gandhi granted bail in separate defamation case
In a related development, Gandhi was granted bail by a special MP MLA Court in Pune on January 11 in another defamation case involving VD Savarkar.
This complaint was filed after Gandhi allegedly made objectionable statements about Savarkar during a London event in March 2023.
The next hearing for this case is scheduled for February 18, adding to the series of legal challenges faced by the Congress leader.