Non-Bailable Warrant Issued Against Rahul Gandhi

A non-bailable warrant has been issued against Lok Sabha Opposition Leader and Wayanad Congress MP Rahul Gandhi by the MP-MLA court in Chaibasa, Jharkhand. The warrant pertains to a defamation case from 2018. The court has directed Rahul Gandhi to appear in person for a hearing scheduled on June 26. The court rejected a petition filed by Rahul Gandhi’s legal team seeking exemption from personal appearance in the case.

The case stems from comments allegedly made by Rahul Gandhi during the 2018 Congress Party plenary session. It is alleged that he made remarks about the then Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Amit Shah, stating, “Even a person facing murder charges can become BJP President.” BJP leader Pratap Katiyar filed a defamation petition in the Chaibasa Chief Judicial Magistrate’s (CJM) Court on July 9, 2018, claiming the statement insulted and defamed BJP workers.

Subsequently, on orders from the Jharkhand High Court, the case was transferred to the MP-MLA court in Ranchi in February 2020. It was later moved back to the MP-MLA court in Chaibasa. After accepting the case for trial, the magistrate issued summons to Rahul Gandhi in his capacity as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

Despite multiple summons, Rahul Gandhi did not appear in court. As a result, a bailable warrant was initially issued against him. Rahul Gandhi approached the Jharkhand High Court seeking a stay on the warrant, but the court dismissed the petition on March 20, 2024. His subsequent plea for exemption from personal appearance was also rejected by the Chaibasa court. The special court has now taken a strict stance, issuing a non-bailable warrant and ordering Rahul Gandhi to appear before it on June 26.