New Delhi, January 20: The Supreme Court has stayed the trial court proceedings against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case related to alleged remarks he made about Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The case was filed in 2019 by Naveen Jha, a BJP worker, following Gandhi’s alleged comments during a public rally in Chaibasa ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where he reportedly referred to Shah as a “murderer.”
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued notices to the Jharkhand government and the complainant, Naveen Jha, seeking their responses to Gandhi’s appeal. “Issue notice. Till further orders, further proceedings in the trial shall remain stayed,” the bench stated.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Gandhi, argued that criminal defamation complaints could only be initiated by the directly aggrieved person and not by third parties acting as proxies. Singhvi referenced judicial precedents to support his contention that the case did not hold merit.
On the other side, senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani appeared for the complainant, Jha, defending the proceedings initiated in the lower court.
The case stems from a magisterial court in Ranchi that had taken cognizance of the complaint, finding prima facie merit and directing Gandhi to appear for trial. Gandhi had initially contested this decision, seeking relief from the Jharkhand High Court. While the High Court stayed any coercive actions against him, it declined to quash the case, prompting Gandhi to approach the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court’s intervention halts further proceedings for now, offering Gandhi temporary reprieve. The Court’s decision to seek responses from both the state government and the complainant marks the next step in determining the fate of the case.