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A special MP-MLA court in Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur has dismissed the 2018 defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The case was filed over
his alleged remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was the BJP’s national president at the time. The dismissal marks a significant development in a legal battle that began during the 2018 Karnataka Assembly election campaign. Details of the court’s order, including the grounds for dismissal, are awaited.
What Is The Rahul Gandhi Defamation Case?
The case was filed by BJP leader Vijay Mishra, a former chairman of the Sultanpur District Cooperative Bank, on August 4, 2018. Mishra alleged that Gandhi had made objectionable remarks against Shah during the election campaign in Bengaluru.
The complaint centred on Gandhi’s alleged reference to Shah in the context of the BJP’s claims of promoting clean and honest politics. At the time, Shah was facing allegations linked to a criminal case, but a special CBI court had discharged him in the 2005 Sohrabuddin Sheikh alleged fake encounter case in 2014.
The Sultanpur court summoned Gandhi to face trial in November 2023. After the Congress leader failed to appear, a warrant was issued. Gandhi subsequently appeared before the court on February 20, 2024, and secured bail.
His statement was recorded during the proceedings in July 2024. Gandhi denied the allegations and described the complaint as politically motivated, according to reports.
Legal Battle Over Voice Sample
The case also saw a separate legal dispute over a request by the complainant to obtain Gandhi’s voice sample and compare it with an audio recording of the alleged remarks.
The trial court rejected the application. The complainant challenged the decision before higher courts, but the challenges were dismissed.
Arguments in the main defamation case were heard in October, with the court fixing October 26 for the verdict. Gandhi travelled to Sultanpur on Monday for the scheduled proceedings.
