Politics · India · 1 hr ago
Rahul Gandhi acquitted in defamation case over remarks about Amit Shah
A court in Sultanpur, in India's Uttar Pradesh state, acquitted opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case.
The case concerned remarks Gandhi made about Amit Shah, who was then the BJP's president, at a 2018 event ahead of elections in Karnataka.
A local BJP politician filed the complaint, alleging Gandhi called Shah an accused in a murder case.
The court's decision ends this case, but Gandhi was convicted in a separate defamation case in Gujarat in 2023 over a remark about the Modi surname.
That conviction briefly cost him his seat in Parliament.
Gandhi is currently leading Congress's opposition campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a contested revision of voter lists, but no further court action in this case was announced.
Rahul Gandhi was acquitted on Oct 26 by a court in Sultanpur in a criminal defamation case over remarks about Amit Shah.
The case concerned comments Gandhi allegedly made in 2018, when Shah was president of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
A local BJP politician filed the complaint in Sultanpur, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
The sources differ on whether Gandhi made the remarks at a Bengaluru press conference or during a campaign speech.
- Who
- Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Congress party, was acquitted. The complainant was local BJP politician Vijay Mishra.
- What
- A court dismissed a criminal defamation case over Gandhi’s remarks about Amit Shah.
- When
- The verdict was announced on Oct 26, 2026. The remarks were allegedly made in 2018.
- Where
- A special MP/MLA court in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.
- Why
- The case concerned remarks in which Gandhi allegedly referred to Shah as an accused in a murder case.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Gandhi allegedly made remarks about Amit Shah; the Times of India reports they were made at a press conference in Bengaluru.
Vijay Mishra filed a defamation complaint against Gandhi.
Gandhi appeared before the court and secured bail.
A court in Sultanpur acquitted Gandhi in the case.
- Verdict date
- Oct 26, 2026
- Court location
- Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh
- Complainant
- Vijay Mishra, a local BJP politician
- Complaint filed
- August 4, 2018
- Remarks concerned
- Amit Shah, then BJP president
3 sources
What people are saying
This matter dates back to May 2018, when, during a press conference in Bengaluru, Rahul Gandhi made objectionable remarks about the then-national president of the BJP, Amit Shah.
He referred to him as an accused in a murder case.