Supreme Court of India Quashes Defamation Case Against Rahul Gandhi

The Supreme Court of India quashed a criminal defamation complaint and summons issued against Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. A bench consisting of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu ruled that the prosecution could not proceed because the Government of Uttar Pradesh failed to grant the mandatory legal sanction required for such offenses.

The case stemmed from remarks Gandhi made during a November 17, 2022, rally in Akola, Maharashtra, as part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. During the event, Gandhi described Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar as a "servant of the British" who received a pension from them. Advocate Nripendra Pandey filed the complaint, alleging the comments were part of a conspiracy to defame Savarkar and promote disharmony.

While the court provided legal relief based on these procedural lapses, Justice Datta cautioned Gandhi against making derogatory statements about freedom fighters. The ruling emphasized that without the necessary government sanction, the case lacked a legal basis to continue.