RANCHI: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi, will appear before the MP-MLA Special Court in Chaibasa on Wednesday, in a defamation case registered against him for an alleged objectionable remark against Union Home Minister Amit Shah in 2018.Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived in Ranchi on Monday to attend the last rites of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren. After paying his respects in Soren’s native village, Nemra, Gandhi returned to Ranchi and will proceed to Chaibasa on Tuesday to appear before the MP-MLA Court as directed by the Jharkhand High Court on June 10.The High Court had earlier dismissed Gandhi’s plea challenging a non-bailable warrant issued by the Chaibasa court, which had ordered his personal appearance by June 26. Gandhi’s counsel had sought an exemption under Section 205 of the CrPC, but the court rejected the request, insisting on his physical presence. Following this, Gandhi approached the High Court, where his lawyer argued that scheduling conflicts prevented an earlier appearance. After consultations, August 6 was agreed upon as a suitable date for the hearing.The legal trouble stems from a 2018 speech during an AICC plenary session in New Delhi, where Gandhi allegedly referred to BJP leaders as “murderers” and “liars.” He had stated, “The people of this country will never accept a lying BJP leadership drunk with power… They will accept a man accused of murder as BJP President, but the same won’t be tolerated in Congress.”A BJP worker, Pratap Kumar, filed a complaint in Chaibasa’s Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in July 2018, prompting the court to take cognizance in February 2022. Summons were issued to Gandhi, followed by a bailable warrant after he failed to appear. With his continued absence, a non-bailable warrant was eventually issued in May 2025. The case highlights the ongoing political tensions as Gandhi faces judicial proceedings over his remarks.
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