Politics · India · 1 hr ago
India’s Supreme Court pauses defamation trial against Rahul Gandhi
India’s Supreme Court paused the defamation trial against Rahul Gandhi over remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The case concerns Gandhi’s “Chowkidar chor hai” comments, made in a speech in Rajasthan in 2018.
A BJP worker filed the complaint, arguing that the remarks defamed Modi and harmed BJP members associated with him.
Gandhi is challenging a Bombay High Court decision that refused to cancel the case.
The Supreme Court has temporarily stopped trial court proceedings while it considers that challenge.
The complaint followed a summons issued by a magistrate in 2019.
The court will take up the case again after four weeks.
The Supreme Court stayed trial court proceedings in a criminal defamation case against Rahul Gandhi over remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The court issued notices to the Maharashtra government and complainant M. H. Shrishrimal, seeking responses within four weeks.
Gandhi is challenging a Bombay High Court order that refused to quash summons issued against him.
The complaint concerns a speech in Rajasthan on September 20, 2018, though one article describes the case as involving remarks against Modi in 2019.
The complainant said Gandhi’s remarks against Modi also aggrieved BJP members.
- Who
- Rahul Gandhi, the Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition, is the subject of the case.
- What
- The Supreme Court stayed trial court proceedings in a criminal defamation case and issued notices on Gandhi’s challenge to the Bombay High Court order.
- When
- October 13, 2026.
- Where
- The case is before a trial court in Maharashtra; the complaint concerns a speech in Rajasthan.
- Why
- Gandhi is challenging the Bombay High Court’s refusal to quash summons. The complaint alleges his remarks about Modi defamed him and made allegations against BJP members and people associated with him.
Rahul Gandhi
M. H. Shrishrimal
Complaint
Rahul Gandhi
Gandhi is challenging the case and the High Court’s refusal to quash the summons.
M. H. Shrishrimal
Shrishrimal’s complaint alleges that Gandhi defamed Modi in a public speech.
Who was aggrieved
Rahul Gandhi
Not stated in the reports.
M. H. Shrishrimal
Shrishrimal said that as a BJP member, he was also aggrieved by remarks against the party’s leader.
Meaning of remarks
Rahul Gandhi
Gandhi’s specific view of the remarks is not stated in the reports.
M. H. Shrishrimal
Shrishrimal alleged the statements amounted to allegations against BJP members and Indian citizens associated with Modi.
Gandhi delivered the Rajasthan speech that the complaint later cited.
A Girgaum magistrate issued an order for process against Gandhi on Shrishrimal’s complaint.
The Bombay High Court refused to quash the summons and continued its direction to defer proceedings for six weeks.
The Supreme Court stayed trial court proceedings and issued notices seeking responses within four weeks.
- Supreme Court action
- Trial court proceedings stayed
- Petitioner
- Rahul Gandhi
- Complainant
- M. H. Shrishrimal, a BJP member
- Complaint speech
- Rajasthan, September 20, 2018
- Bombay High Court order
- September 8, 2026
- Notice response period
- Four weeks
What people are saying
Issue notice returnable in four weeks. Further proceedings before the trial court shall remain stayed.
the law is settled in the matter
Sources
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