Bombay HC extends relief granted to Rahul Gandhi in defaming PM case – The Hindu

The Bombay High Court on Monday extended the relief granted to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from appearing before a magistrate court for allegedly defaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A single Bench of justice Amit Borkar was hearing a plea filed by Mr. Gandhi seeking to quash a summons issued to him by a local magistrate court in suit filed by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Mahesh Shrishrimal in 2018. 

As per Mr. Shrishrimal, Mr. Gandhi called Mr. Modi ‘Commander in Chief’ and since Mr. Modi is the head of the country and not head of the party, Mr. Shrishrimal being a member of the party is defamed.

In July 2021, the magistrate court issued a summons to Mr. Gandhi and he couldn’t appear due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He filed the petition to quash the case before the High Court on November 12, 2021, on the grounds that in a defamation case, the party has to be aggrieved personally and directly.

The Bench extended the interim relief granted to the member of parliament from Wayanad till January 23.