The Supreme Court has temporarily stopped the legal process started by the Jharkhand High Court against Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case. This decision provides relief to Rahul Gandhi, who is the leader of the opposition.

Why was the case filed?

The case began during the 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign when Rahul Gandhi allegedly referred to Home Minister Amit Shah as a "murderer" during a speech in Chaibasa, Jharkhand. A BJP worker, Naveen Jha, filed a defamation complaint against him, claiming Gandhi's statement tarnished Shah's reputation.

What is the defamation case about?

Naveen Jha filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of defamation under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which handles cases related to damaging someone’s reputation. In November 2018, a magistrate court in Ranchi reviewed the evidence and decided there was enough basis to proceed with the case. The court also issued summons asking Gandhi to appear before it.

Rahul Gandhi then took the matter to the Jharkhand High Court, asking for the case to be dismissed. However, the High Court did not agree with him and said that his remarks were “prima facie defamatory in nature,” meaning that on the surface, the comments seemed to harm someone's reputation.

High Court’s decision

Justice Ambuj Nath of the Jharkhand High Court dismissed Gandhi's petition, noting that his remarks suggested BJP leaders are “liars” who are “drunk with power” and willing to accept a leader accused of murder as their president. The court stated that this imputation was defamatory and ordered the case to proceed.

Supreme Court relief

After the High Court's decision, Gandhi approached the Supreme Court, which has now stayed further proceedings in the case.

The Supreme Court’s decision brings temporary relief, as it halts the trial in the Ranchi lower court and provides time for Gandhi to respond.

Background

The legal case began when a Ranchi judicial commissioner decided to reopen a defamation complaint that had been dismissed earlier by a magistrate court. After this, the High Court asked the magistrate to review the case again, using the evidence provided. The issue revolves around Rahul Gandhi's remarks during his election campaign, which are at the centre of the dispute.