The Bombay high court on Tuesday refused to quash the summons issued to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in 2019 in a defamation complaint over his remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he had called a “commander-in-thief”.
“This court finds no infirmity in the order.
Justice Borkar said the court did not find any “perversity and illegality” in the magistrate’s order and hence no reason to interfere. Hence, the petition is dismissed,” the HC said. The defamation complaint against the Congress leader had been filed for Gandhi’s “commander-in-thief” remark against PM Modi in 2018 over the Rafale fighter jet deal.
The HC in November 2021 directed the magistrate to defer the hearing on the defamation complaint, which meant the Congress leader would not be required to appear before the magistrate.
These statements amounted to direct allegations of theft against all members of BJP and Indian citizens connected to PM Modi, according to the complainant.
