Rahul Gandhi acquitted in Amit Shah defamation case; complainant to appeal
Synopsis
A Sultanpur special MP-MLA court acquitted Rahul Gandhi in an 8-year-old defamation case over an alleged 'murderer' remark directed at Amit Shah during the 2018 Karnataka election campaign. The complainant says he will appeal — keeping alive a legally and politically charged dispute that hinges on whether a press conference remark crossed the line into criminal defamation.
Key Takeaways
Rahul Gandhi was acquitted on 26 October 2026 by a special MP-MLA court in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh in a defamation case linked to Home Minister Amit Shah .
The court accepted the CD submitted by complainant Vijay Mishra as proven evidence but ruled Mishra was not an aggrieved person and Gandhi's remark was not defamatory .
The case stems from a press conference in Bengaluru in May 2018 , during which Gandhi allegedly called Shah a 'murderer'; Mishra filed the complaint on 4 August 2018 .
Gandhi appeared before the court on 20 February 2024 and was granted bail on bonds of ₹25,000 each .
Mishra has confirmed he will challenge the acquittal before an appellate court after obtaining a certified copy of the order and seeking legal advice.
Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, was acquitted on Monday, 26 October 2026, by a special MP-MLA court in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, in a defamation case linked to remarks he allegedly made about Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The complainant, Vijay Mishra, has said he will challenge the verdict before an appellate court.
What the Court Decided
The special MP-MLA court in Sultanpur acquitted Gandhi of charges under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which pertains to defamation. According to Santosh Pandey, counsel for the complainant, the court examined three key aspects while delivering its verdict.
Pandey said the court accepted the CD submitted by the complainant as proven evidence but did not recognise Mishra as an aggrieved person in the matter. Additionally, the court did not find Gandhi's alleged statement to be defamatory, leading to the acquittal.
Background of the Case
The case originates from a press conference held by Gandhi in Bengaluru in May 2018, during campaigning for the Karnataka Assembly elections. At the time, Amit Shah was serving as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President.
Mishra alleged that Gandhi used the word 'murderer' while referring to Shah at the press conference, thereby damaging the reputation of the BJP and its workers. Mishra, who was then a BJP district Vice-President and Chairman of the Sultanpur District Cooperative Bank, filed a defamation complaint against Gandhi on 4 August 2018, citing a CD of the alleged statement as evidence.
The proceedings initially began before a civil court before the case was transferred to the special MP-MLA court, which handles matters involving Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assemblies.
Key Proceedings During the Trial
The court issued a summons to Gandhi on 27 November 2023. He appeared before the court on 20 February 2024 and was granted bail against two personal bonds of ₹25,000 each. Gandhi denied the allegations at the time of his appearance.
During the trial, the complainant's side recorded statements of Vijay Mishra, Anil Mishra, and Ramchand Dubey. Mishra also sought permission to obtain Gandhi's voice sample for comparison with the CD recording, but the trial court rejected that request.
Gandhi arrived at the special MP-MLA court in Sultanpur at around 11.10 am on Monday, with tightened security arrangements on the court premises ahead of the verdict. The courtroom door was reportedly closed after Gandhi entered. Notably, Congress workers had gathered near Kurebhar on the Purvanchal Expressway to welcome him.
What Happens Next
Mishra confirmed he has been pursuing the case continuously since filing it in 2018 and intends to continue the legal fight. He said his side had not yet received a certified copy of the judgment, and once obtained, it would be examined legally before a formal decision on approaching an appellate court.
The outcome of any appeal will be closely watched given the political standing of both Gandhi and Shah, and the case's roots in the bitterly contested 2018 Karnataka Assembly election campaign. How the appellate court receives the challenge — particularly on the question of whether Mishra qualifies as an aggrieved party — could shape the broader legal landscape for politically sensitive defamation complaints in India.
Point of View
Illustrating how MP-MLA court backlogs can stretch politically charged cases well beyond any immediate electoral relevance. If the appellate court takes a different view on aggrieved-person standing, it could embolden a new wave of defamation complaints against political speech during election campaigns — a category that courts have traditionally treated with some latitude.
NationPress
26 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Amit Shah defamation case against Rahul Gandhi?
The case involved an alleged remark made by Rahul Gandhi at a press conference in Bengaluru in May 2018, during Karnataka Assembly election campaigning, in which he allegedly referred to then-BJP President Amit Shah as a 'murderer.' Complainant Vijay Mishra filed a defamation complaint under Section 500 of the IPC on 4 August 2018, citing a CD recording as evidence.
Why was Rahul Gandhi acquitted?
The special MP-MLA court in Sultanpur acquitted Gandhi after finding that the complainant, Vijay Mishra, did not qualify as an aggrieved person in the matter, and that Gandhi's alleged statement did not meet the threshold for criminal defamation. The court did accept the CD as proven evidence but ruled in Gandhi's favour on the two other key aspects.
What will the complainant do after the acquittal?
Complainant Vijay Mishra has said he will challenge the acquittal before an appellate court. His counsel, Santosh Pandey, confirmed that the complainant's side had not yet received a certified copy of the judgment and will review it legally before formally filing an appeal.
What is a special MP-MLA court and why was this case heard there?
A special MP-MLA court is a designated fast-track court that handles criminal cases involving sitting or former Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assemblies. This case was transferred to the Sultanpur MP-MLA court from a civil court because Rahul Gandhi is a Member of Parliament.
When did Rahul Gandhi first appear in this case?
Gandhi appeared before the special MP-MLA court in Sultanpur on 20 February 2024, following a summons issued on 27 November 2023. He was granted bail on two personal bonds of ₹25,000 each and denied the allegations at that time.
