CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has been acquitted in a criminal defamation case related to his alleged remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the 2018 Karnataka Assembly election campaign. The special MP/MLA court in Sultanpur delivered its verdict on Monday, October 26, 2026.
Rahul Gandhi appeared before the court when the judgment was pronounced. The case originated from a statement he allegedly made during a press conference in Bengaluru in May 2018, when Amit Shah was serving as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s national president. Gandhi had referred to Shah as an accused in a murder case, prompting objections from BJP leaders.
BJP leader Vijay Mishra, a former chairman of the Sultanpur District Cooperative Bank, filed a criminal defamation complaint against Gandhi on August 4, 2018. Mishra alleged that the Congress leader’s remarks were defamatory and had harmed the reputation of Shah and the BJP.
The complaint was registered under Sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code, which deal with criminal defamation and its punishment. Gandhi was summoned to face trial in 2023 and appeared before the court in February 2024, when he secured bail.
During the proceedings, the complainant sought to have Gandhi’s voice sample compared with the recording of the alleged remarks. The request was rejected by the trial court, and subsequent challenges to that decision were also dismissed.
The court acquitted Gandhi, holding that the remarks did not constitute defamation and that the complainant did not qualify as an aggrieved person in the matter, according to media reports.
The verdict brings relief to the Congress leader in this particular case. However, the complainant’s side has indicated that it intends to challenge the decision in a higher court, leaving open the possibility of further legal proceedings.
Hashtags: #UttarPradeshState #Bhopal #Rahul #Gandhi #Acquitted #Amit #Shah #Defamation #Case #RahulGandhiAcquittedIn
