Supreme Court Stays Rahul Gandhi Defamation Trial
The Supreme Court has stayed the trial proceedings against Rahul Gandhi regarding his 2018 remarks about PM Narendra Modi.
In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court of India has granted relief to the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. The apex court on Tuesday ordered a stay on the trial court proceedings in a criminal defamation case involving his controversial remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Legal Battle Over 'Chowkidar Chor Hai'
The legal dispute traces back to September 2018, stemming from remarks made by the Congress leader during a political rally in Rajasthan. At the time, Gandhi had targeted the Prime Minister in connection with the Rafale fighter jet deal, using the phrase 'Chowkidar Chor Hai'. These comments led to a criminal defamation complaint filed by BJP member Mahesh Shrishrimal.
The complainant alleged that Gandhi's statements were defamatory and caused widespread trolling of the Prime Minister across various news channels and social media platforms. Following these allegations, a Girgaon Magistrate had ordered proceedings against the Raebareli MP on August 28, 2019.
Supreme Court Intervenes
Rahul Gandhi had approached the judiciary to quash the defamation case, but his plea was previously rejected by the Bombay High Court on September 8. Seeking higher intervention, Gandhi moved the Supreme Court to challenge that decision.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Aparesh Kumar Singh heard the plea and issued the following orders:
- Stay on Trial: The ongoing trial court proceedings related to the defamation case have been officially stayed.
- Notice Issued: The court has issued notices to the Maharashtra government and the complainant, MH Shrishrimal.
- Timeline: The parties involved have been granted four weeks to submit their responses to the court.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi represented the Congress leader during the proceedings. While the High Court had previously allowed a brief deferment in 2021 to permit Gandhi to approach the Supreme Court, the current stay halts the immediate momentum of the trial proceedings.