Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi addressing Media in a PC
New Delhi: The Supreme Court’s order provides interim relief to the Congress leader by pausing the trial proceedings while it considers his challenge to the Bombay High Court’s decision.
The Bombay High Court had rejected Gandhi’s plea seeking to quash the summons issued in 2019 by a magistrate court in Girgaon, Mumbai. Gandhi had approached the High Court in November 2021, disputing the allegations and seeking an end to the proceedings.
The case originated from a private complaint filed in 2018 by Mahesh Shrishrimal, a BJP member. The complainant alleged that Gandhi made defamatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a public rally in Rajasthan on September 20, 2018.
The complaint also referred to a post Gandhi shared on his social media account on September 24, 2018, in which he allegedly described Modi as “Commander in Thief”.
The complainant argued that the remarks were defamatory towards Modi and also affected BJP members. Gandhi has denied the allegations and challenged the legal proceedings.
The Supreme Court’s intervention means the criminal defamation trial pending before a Mumbai court will remain on hold while the matter is considered. The stay does not amount to a final decision on the allegations or an acquittal.
The case is connected to the political controversy surrounding Gandhi’s “Chowkidar Chor Hai” slogan, which he used during the 2019 general election campaign while criticising the Modi government over the Rafale fighter jet deal.
The Supreme Court will examine the challenge to the Bombay High Court order as the legal proceedings continue.
