Supreme Court Directs Complainant to Seek Early Hearing in Rahul Gandhi Defamation Case

The Supreme Court advised the complainant in a defamation case against Rahul Gandhi to apply for an early hearing, emphasizing equality before law. The case stems from Gandhi's 2022 remarks on India-China tensions, claimed as defamatory. The court urged adherence to procedure to expedite matters.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday instructed the complainant in a criminal defamation suit against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to file an application for an early hearing if the matter required urgent attention. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, with Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana, underscored the importance of following legal procedures and reiterated that 'everyone is equal before us.'

Senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia, representing the complainant, argued that Rahul Gandhi was not a VVIP, pointing out that his appeal regarding the trial court’s cognisance had been pending for nearly five months. Chief Justice Surya Kant insisted on procedural compliance, stating, 'File an application seeking early hearing. Please file an application for early hearing. We will take it up.'

The case concerns remarks made by Gandhi during his 2022 Bharat Jodo Yatra, alleging that Chinese soldiers were overpowering Indian Army personnel in Arunachal Pradesh. The Supreme Court had previously stayed the proceedings, demanding clarification on Gandhi’s statements. He challenged an Allahabad High Court ruling upholding a summons from a Lucknow court, following a complaint by Uday Shankar Srivastava, accusing him of defaming the armed forces.