Rahul Gandhi Acquitted in Amit Shah Defamation Case by Sultanpur Court

Sultanpur | News Desk: A special MP-MLA court in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on Monday acquitted senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case over his 2018 remarks against Amit Shah, who was then the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Shubham Verma pronounced the verdict in the case, which was filed by BJP leader Vijay Mishra in August 2018. According to legal news outlet Bar and Bench, the court held that Gandhi’s remarks were not defamatory in nature. Gandhi was personally present in court when the judgment was delivered.

The ruling brings a significant development in a legal dispute that originated during the campaign for the 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections. The complaint concerned Gandhi’s comments about Shah’s alleged involvement in a murder case. Shah had been discharged in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case by a special CBI court in 2014.

What Was the Defamation Case About?

The case dates back to May 8, 2018, when Rahul Gandhi made remarks about the BJP’s leadership during the Karnataka election campaign in Bengaluru.

Gandhi reportedly said that people had forgotten that the BJP president was an accused in a murder case, adding that a party which spoke about honesty and clean politics had a president who had faced such an accusation.

The comments were directed at Amit Shah, who was serving as BJP national president at the time and is now the Union Home Minister.

BJP leader Vijay Mishra, a former chairman of the District Cooperative Bank in Sultanpur, filed a criminal defamation complaint against Gandhi on August 4, 2018. The complaint alleged that Gandhi’s remarks were objectionable and had harmed Shah’s reputation.

The proceedings were initiated under Sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code, which deal with criminal defamation and its punishment.

How the Case Progressed

The case went through several stages before the court delivered its verdict on Monday.

In November 2023, the Sultanpur court summoned Gandhi to face trial. He subsequently appeared before the court and secured bail in February 2024.

During the proceedings, Mishra sought to have Gandhi’s voice sample compared with a recording of the speech delivered in Bengaluru. The trial court rejected the application, and subsequent challenges before the sessions court and the Allahabad High Court were also unsuccessful.

Gandhi later recorded his statement during the trial. Following the presentation of evidence and arguments by both sides, the court reserved its decision. The verdict was initially scheduled for October 13, 2026, before being rescheduled for October 26.

The court ultimately acquitted Gandhi, ruling that the remarks at the centre of the complaint did not constitute defamation, according to Bar and Bench.

Congress Workers Celebrate Outside Court

The verdict triggered celebrations among Congress workers gathered outside the court complex in Sultanpur.

Party supporters reportedly danced to the beats of drums, burst firecrackers and raised slogans in support of Rahul Gandhi. The atmosphere turned celebratory as workers welcomed the court’s decision as a major relief for the Congress leader.

The development is likely to draw renewed political attention to the long-running exchanges between the Congress and the BJP, particularly over allegations and counter-allegations involving senior leaders.

Earlier on Monday, several vehicles in Rahul Gandhi’s convoy reportedly collided on the Purvanchal Expressway while he was travelling towards Sultanpur for the court proceedings.

According to the information provided, five vehicles were involved in the collision, including an ambulance. Gandhi was reported to be safe following the incident.

The convoy incident occurred on the same day as the closely watched court verdict, adding to the day’s developments surrounding the Congress leader’s visit to Uttar Pradesh.

Why the Verdict Matters

The acquittal concludes the trial court proceedings in this particular defamation case arising from Gandhi’s 2018 comments about the BJP’s then national president.

The case also highlights how political speeches made during election campaigns can lead to lengthy legal proceedings when the individuals concerned allege reputational harm.

For the Congress, the decision provides a legal reprieve for one of its most prominent leaders. For the BJP, the case had centred on allegations that Gandhi’s comments were damaging to Amit Shah’s reputation.

The court’s ruling should be understood specifically in the context of this complaint and the remarks examined during the trial. It does not, by itself, determine the outcome of any separate legal proceedings involving Rahul Gandhi or other political leaders.