Allahabad High Court Rejects Rahul Gandhi's Petition in Army Defamation Case

Court Dismisses Petition by Rahul Gandhi

On Thursday, the Allahabad High Court rejected a petition from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was challenging a summons from a Lucknow court regarding a defamation case linked to his comments about the Indian Army made in 2022.

The Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha had contested the summons issued by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Alok Verma in February, arguing that the complaint was filed with malicious intent.

Justice Subhash Vidyarthi dismissed the petition based on its merits.

A comprehensive order detailing the judgment is expected to be published on June 2.

Gandhi's controversial remarks were made on December 16, 2022, concerning a confrontation between Indian and Chinese troops at the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang region, which resulted in injuries on both sides.

These comments were delivered during the Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra, a campaign aimed at opposing the divisive policies of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Uday Shankar Srivastava, a former director of the Border Roads Organisation, lodged the defamation complaint, asserting that Gandhi's statements were damaging to the reputation of the Indian Army.

Following the High Court's decision, Gandhi is now set to face trial in the Lucknow court.