Chaibasa (Jharkhand) | August 6, 2025 

In a significant update in a long-pending criminal defamation case, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was granted regular bail today by a Special MP/MLA Court in Chaibasa, Jharkhand, in connection with alleged defamatory remarks he made in 2018 against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

 

The court granted relief after Gandhi personally appeared before the bench of Special Judge Supriya Rani Tigga, complying with the order of the Jharkhand High Court which had earlier granted him interim protection from coercive action.

 

The complaint arises from a political rally held in March 2018, during which Rahul Gandhi is alleged to have referred to Amit Shah — then the BJP National President  as a “murder accused,” in connection with Shah’s earlier implication in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case, where he was eventually discharged by a competent court in 2014.

 

These remarks were made during a Congress event in Chaibasa, West Singhbhum district, Jharkhand, and were viewed as defamatory and misleading, especially in light of Shah’s clean chit from the judiciary. BJP worker Pratap Kumar, a resident of Chaibasa, filed a private complaint under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (criminal defamation) in July 2018.

 

During the brief but crucial hearing today, Gandhi’s counsel submitted that:

• The statement in question was made during a political speech, which qualifies as fair comment under democratic discourse.

• The alleged remark was not intended to defame an individual, but to comment on the state of institutions and judicial processes.

• The complainant failed to demonstrate actual personal harm or malice, which is essential under criminal defamation law.

 

However, the prosecution countered that:

• Gandhi, as a public figure and Member of Parliament, has a higher responsibility to ensure factual accuracy in public addresses.

• The reference to Shah as a “murder accused” falsely insinuated criminality, even though Shah had been discharged by a court of law.

 

Despite these submissions, the court granted bail after noting Gandhi’s compliance with the High Court directive and lack of wilful non-cooperation.

 

This case adds to a string of criminal defamation proceedings involving Rahul Gandhi across different jurisdictions  including previous convictions in Surat (which briefly disqualified him from Parliament in 2023). It raises recurring questions around:

• Limits of political speech and satire, especially in a charged electoral climate;

• Use of criminal defamation as a tool to counter political criticism;

• The need for balance between free expression and protection of individual dignity.

 

While Gandhi’s bail clears the immediate legal hurdle, the matter is far from over — with trial proceedings now expected to resume in the coming months.