Karnataka High Court Stays Trial Proceedings Against Rahul Gandhi in Defamation Case
The Karnataka High Court, in an interim order issued on Friday (January 17), stayed the trial court proceedings against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case filed by the State BJP.
Senior advocate Shashi Kiran Shetty, appearing on behalf of Gandhi, informed Justice M. Nagaprasanna that this was the first hearing of the case. After hearing the arguments, the court dictated in its order, "Emergent notice to the respondent returnable by February 20. By way of interim order there shall be a stay of further proceedings." Rahul Gandhi’s plea seeks to quash the defamation case lodged against him, with the matter now scheduled for a hearing on February 20.
The complaint relates to the “Corruption Rate card” advertisements published by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, which alleged that certain 'rates' and 'commissions' were being charged by BJP for appointments and transfers within government departments. BJP has refuted these claims, calling them false and based on the "fanciful imagination" of the accused. The BJP further alleged that the use of the phrase “trouble engine Sarkar” by the accused, instead of the commonly used term “double engine Sarkar,” was intended to damage its reputation and affect its prospects in the elections.
In June last year, Gandhi had been granted bail by the magistrate’s court. He had appeared before the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate as per the court’s directions in its order dated June 1, 2024. Earlier, the court had also granted bail to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar in the same case.
Case title: Rahul Gandhi v/s Bharatiya Janata Party
Case No: CRL.P 14473/2024
