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The Supreme Court on Monday halted criminal proceedings against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case filed by a BJP worker. It was based on his statements against Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP.
A bench consisting of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was hearing Rahul Gandhi’s Special Leave Petition (SLP), which challenged the decision of the Jharkhand High Court. The High Court had earlier dismissed Gandhi’s plea to quash the defamation case filed by BJP worker Navin Jha. The Supreme Court’s order now halts the ongoing criminal proceedings against Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi’s Legal Argument
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Rahul Gandhi, argued that only the person directly aggrieved by a defamatory statement can file a criminal defamation complaint. Singhvi contended that the complaint filed by Navin Jha, who is not directly impacted by Gandhi’s remarks, could not be valid, as only the affected party has the right to initiate such proceedings. He cited various judgments supporting this argument, hoping to strengthen Gandhi’s case for dismissal of the charges.
The Supreme Court granted a four-week period for the complainant, Navin Jha, and the Jharkhand government to respond to Singhvi’s submissions. This is a significant window of opportunity for the parties involved to present their arguments and perhaps settle the matter before further legal actions are taken.
This case dates back to February of the previous year when the Jharkhand High Court had dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s pleas to quash the defamation case. The BJP worker, Navin Jha, had filed the case against Gandhi over remarks made about Home Minister Amit Shah and the ruling party. The defamation lawsuit has been a point of contention for months, with both political and legal ramifications.
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