Ranchi, Jan 20: In a major relief for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, soon after the Supreme Court stayed proceedings in a case filed against him for alleged derogatory remarks on Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Ranchi court on Monday halted all proceedings in this case.
A Supreme Court Bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta, while hearing a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, issued notices to the Jharkhand government and the complainant, Ranchi BJP leader Naveen Jha, seeking their responses.
The case pertains to a comment made by LoP Gandhi during a Congress session in 2018, where he reportedly said, “No murderer can become the national president in the Congress. Congressmen cannot accept any murderer as the national president. This is possible only in the BJP.” Viewing the remarks as defamatory, BJP leader Naveen Jha filed a complaint against the Congress MP in the Ranchi Civil Court.
Prior to filing the complaint, Jha had issued a legal notice to the former Congress chief, demanding an apology, which he declined. Subsequently, the court took cognisance of the matter. Rahul Gandhi initially challenged the case in the Jharkhand High Court, seeking its dismissal. However, the High Court dismissed his petition in February 2024.
This prompted LoP Gandhi to file an SLP in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court’s decision to stay the proceedings has temporarily halted the legal challenges faced by LoP Gandhi in this matter. Further developments are awaited based on responses from the Jharkhand government and the complainant.
Staying the defamation proceedings till further orders, the Bench remarked, “If you are not the person aggrieved, how can you have a proxy filing of complaint? Issue notice to the state of Jharkhand and the complainant. All proceedings in the trial shall remain stayed till further orders.”
IANS