Sultanpur Court Acquits Rahul Gandhi in 2018 Criminal Defamation Case

Rahul Gandhi has been acquitted by a Sultanpur court in a 2018 defamation case. The magistrate ruled his comments were not defamatory, a decision celebrated by Congress leaders as a triumph of truth over falsehoods.

Rahul Gandhi Acquitted in 2018 Defamation Case

New Delhi [India], October 26 (ANI): Congress cheered and welcomed the acquittal of the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, in a 2018 defamation case. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Shubham Verma of a Special MP/MLA Court in Sultanpur dismissed the 2018 criminal defamation lawsuit against Gandhi, ruling that his controversial remarks made during the 2018 Karnataka Assembly campaign were not defamatory in nature.

The phrase "murder accused" cited during the 2018 campaign exchange pertained to the 2005 Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case in Gujarat. While Union Home Minister Amit Shah was initially named as an accused in the case, a Special CBI Court in Mumbai completely discharged him of all charges in December 2014. The complaint was filed by the then BJP District Vice President, Vijay Mishra.

Congress Reaction to the Verdict

General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal said that the truth prevailed despite BJP’s attack against Rahul Gandhi. Venugopal told reporters, "Truth will prevail. Whenever Rahul Gandhi speaks the truth, BJP members attack him. However, it is now established that truth cannot fail; it will always prevail. This is what the court judgment confirms."

Congress MP Pawan Khera said, "The remarks were that Amit Shah has been a murder accused. The court has upheld that statement and found it non-defamatory. That is what the remark was. The court has recognised the statement as true, and we welcome the decision." Describing the acquittal as a mark of honour for the Congress leader, Khera further said that Rahul Gandhi was leading the fight to uphold the country's democracy and Constitution. "These are badges of honour for Rahul Gandhi, who is leading from the front in the fight to uphold India's democracy and Constitution. This is a very unequal fight. Our weapons are truth and non-violence. Their weapons are falsehoods, violence, the misuse of agencies, and the misuse of resources," he added.

Uttar Pradesh Congress President Aradhana Mishra Mona termed it as truth triumphing over falsehood. "This is a victory for the faith of our leader, Rahul Gandhi. We had complete trust in our judiciary; the truth cannot be suppressed for long—the truth remains the truth, and it always triumphs over falsehood. Today, that is exactly what happened: truth has prevailed over a lie,” she said.

Legal and Political Perspectives

Congress leader Sachin Pilot said, "This fair and correct decision by the judiciary marks a victory for the truth. There have always been attempts to implicate Rahul Gandhi, but the verdict delivered by the judiciary this time is welcome, and it represents a victory for justice."

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge alleged political motive behind filing a criminal defamation case against Gandhi and slammed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Kharge said, "There are many cases about Rahul Gandhi that have been filed with political motive. Savarkar ji's grandson had filed a case. What is happening? Why did they ask not to pursue it? Because the truth was coming out. So, the more cases you slap on our leaders, the more the RSS will be exposed."

Advocate Kashi Prasad Shukla, representing Rahul Gandhi, also welcomed the court's decision, highlighting the court's finding that the complainant lacked legal standing. "Rahul Gandhi has been acquitted in this case. The court determined that the complainant, Vijay Mishra, did not qualify as an aggrieved person,” Advocate Shukla told ANI. “Since we have not yet been able to review the full text of the judgment, we are currently expressing our happiness over the fact that Rahul Gandhi has been acquitted. As for the specific reasoning or the grounds upon which the case was dismissed, we cannot provide full details until we have the complete judgment," he added.

BJP Criticism

However, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal said that the court of the people will not acquit Rahul Gandhi for repeated use of “abusive language” against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his family. Speaking to ANI, Jagdambika Pal stated, "Look, while the court in Sultanpur may have acquitted him (Rahul Gandhi) in a contempt case, the nature of the contempt he continues to display—including the abusive language he has previously directed not just at the Prime Minister, but also at his late father and his mother—is being witnessed by the court of the nation’s people. And the people of this country are certainly not going to acquit him. Until now, Rahul Gandhi has been hurling abuses—criticising the government, criticising PM Modi, fine—but to use such language regarding someone who is no longer with us.”

He also slammed Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for his “Modi ka baap bhi jayega” remarks at an event in Patna, Bihar. “As the national president, Mallikarjun Kharge, did yesterday, is appalling. He is an elderly man, a national president, and the Leader of the Opposition. One must wonder: will he ever be acquitted by the court of the nation’s people? He is currently spreading anarchy, inciting violence, and experimenting with language that brings shame to the entire nation... He even boycotted the recent BRICS summit, and he has made it a habit to disrupt entire parliamentary sessions, choosing instead to stage protests at the Makar Dwar,” the BJP leader said.

Earlier in 2023, Rahul Gandhi was convicted of criminal defamation for his “all thieves have Modi surname” remark. He was disqualified from the Lok Sabha, given the two-year sentence in the case. However, the Surat court’s decision was stayed by the Supreme Court, and his disqualification was revoked. (ANI)

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