Why Did Rahul Gandhi Appear Before Chaibasa Court in the Amit Shah Defamation Case?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Rahul Gandhi has been granted conditional bail.
- The defamation case originated from a speech in 2018.
- There were multiple legal actions and warrants issued prior to his court appearance.
- The case will now proceed to trial.
- Public statements by political leaders can have significant legal consequences.
Chaibasa (Jharkhand), Aug 6 (NationPress) - On Wednesday, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, made an appearance at the MP-MLA Special Court in Chaibasa, Jharkhand, regarding a criminal defamation case initiated due to his comments about the then BJP national president, Amit Shah.
The court granted him bail on the condition of his cooperation throughout the trial proceedings.
Gandhi was present in person before Judicial Magistrate Supriya Rani Tigga. After considering arguments from his legal counsel, which included notable attorneys Pradeep Chandra and Dipankar Roy, the court granted him relief.
This case stems from a speech delivered by Gandhi during a Congress event in 2018, where he reportedly labeled Amit Shah a 'murderer'.
During his address, Gandhi allegedly stated, “No murderer can become the national president in Congress. Congressmen cannot accept a murderer as the national president; this is possible only in the BJP.”
Feeling aggrieved by this assertion, local BJP leader Pratap Katiyar, a Chaibasa resident, filed a criminal defamation suit against Rahul Gandhi on July 9, 2018.
The case had been pending for several years, with multiple warrants issued during this time.
The court first issued a bailable warrant in April 2022; however, when Gandhi did not appear, a non-bailable warrant was subsequently issued in February 2024.
Gandhi sought exemption from personal appearance under Section 205 of the CrPC, but this request was denied by the Chaibasa court.
He later approached the Jharkhand High Court, which provided him temporary relief; however, in March 2024, the High Court dismissed his petition, leading to further legal actions.
Consequently, the Chaibasa court issued another non-bailable warrant on May 22, 2025.
Ultimately, Gandhi complied with the court's directive and appeared in person today, resulting in him being granted conditional bail.
The case is now set to proceed into the trial phase.