Supreme Court Quashes Defamation Case Against Rahul Gandhi Over Savarkar Remarks

The Supreme Court has dismissed a defamation case against Rahul Gandhi regarding his remarks on freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar during the 2022 Bharat Jodo Yatra. This decision overturned previous summons by a Lucknow Magistrate, noting procedural issues in the complaint filed by Advocate Nripendra Pandey.

In a significant legal development on Friday, the Supreme Court quashed a criminal defamation complaint and the corresponding summons issued against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The case, heard by a bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu, revolved around Gandhi's remarks against Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a prominent freedom fighter.

The Supreme Court's decision stemmed from procedural lapses noted by the Uttar Pradesh government, which failed to disclose the necessary sanction in the complaint. Consequently, the bench invalidated previous orders by a Lucknow Magistrate, providing relief to Gandhi, who had faced accusations following comments made during the 2022 Bharat Jodo Yatra.

The journey of this case began with Adv. Nripendra Pandey's complaint, alleging Gandhi's remarks intended to incite hatred. Despite initial resistance from the Allahabad High Court, which urged Gandhi to seek revisions through the Sessions Judge, the Supreme Court's verdict marks a pivotal judicial conclusion, emphasizing adherence to procedural standards in legal proceedings.