Rahul Gandhi Challenges Non-Bailable Warrant in Jharkhand High Court

Rahul Gandhi's Legal Battle

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has approached the Jharkhand High Court to contest a non-bailable warrant that was issued against him by a special MP-MLA court in Chaibasa. This warrant was a result of his comments directed at Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

As the Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi is seeking to have the warrant, which was issued in May and required him to appear in court on June 26, annulled. This marks the second non-bailable warrant issued by the court in this matter.

The controversy stems from Gandhi's alleged defamatory statements made during a speech in March 2018. A defamation complaint was lodged by BJP leader Pratap Kumar on July 9, 2018, which was subsequently moved to the Special MP-MLA Court in Ranchi in February 2020, following an order from the Jharkhand High Court, and later redirected back to the Chaibasa court.

Earlier this year, the High Court had suspended another non-bailable warrant against Gandhi issued by a civil court in February. However, it did dismiss his request to dismiss the criminal defamation case against him.