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Supreme Court Grants Relief to Rahul Gandhi in Defamation Case, Issues Interim Stay on Trial Proceedings

In a pivotal decision, the Supreme Court has provided temporary relief to Rahul Gandhi in his defamation lawsuit by imposing an interim stay on the trial proceedings. The court has sought explanations from the Jharkhand government and the accuser
 
Supreme Court Grants Relief to Rahul Gandhi in Defamation Case, Issues Interim Stay on Trial Proceedings

This was a crucial relief for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has been facing the defamation case that he filed against Rahul Gandhi at a trial court. The apex court bench comprising of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta called for responses from both the Jharkhand government and BJP worker Naveen Jha on his petition for a dismissal of the case.

The intervention of the Supreme Court

During the hearing on Monday, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Rahul Gandhi, pointed out that the complaint against Gandhi was filed by a third party, which he argued is inappropriate in defamation cases. Singhvi questioned, "If you are not the aggrieved party, how can you obtain a proxy to file a complaint?" This line of reasoning played a pivotal role in the Supreme Court's decision to grant interim relief and pause the ongoing trial proceedings until the court issues further orders.

Background of the Defamation Case

The case was filed as a result of defamation when the BJP leader Naveen Jha filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi, stating that Gandhi had maligned him during his speech on March 18, 2018. Gandhi reportedly criticized the BJP in the said speech, referring to the BJP leadership as drunkards who had committed murder for being involved with former BJP leader Shah.

Initially, the magistrate court in Ranchi dismissed Jha's complaint. However, not satisfied with the judgment, Jha filed a revision petition before the Judicial Commissioner in September 2018. The Commissioner reversed the magistrate's judgment on September 15, 2018, and ordered the Magistrate to re-examine the case with further scrutiny of the evidence.

Subsequently, on 28 November 2018, the Magistrate court held prima facie case under Section 500 IPC against Gandhi for defamation. The summons was issued upon Gandhi. Challenging the order of the Magistrate, Gandhi filed a petition before the Jharkhand High Court. On 22 February 2024, the Jharkhand High Court dismissed the petition to quash the case, and thus the defamation case remained in force.

Summary of the Supreme Court Judgment

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ordered a move in the defamation case against Gandhi, who has been fighting the allegations for years, still insisting that the complaint was filed illegally by a third party, Naveen Jha, who has his own personal vendetta motives. The bench now asked both the Jharkhand government and Naveen Jha to present their responses to Gandhi's plea for the dismissal of the case.

Statements from the Parties Involved

Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said in the arguments, "The nature of defamation requires that the aggrieved party themselves file the complaint. Third-party interventions undermine the very essence of legal process and are misuses of judicial resources."

In response, Jharkhand Police, representing the state government, said Naveen Jha had valid reasons to file the complaint based on the statements made by Gandhi, adding that the court would review all submissions before making a final decision.

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