Supreme Court stays defamation case proceedings against Rahul Gandhi over 2019 remarks against PM

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi addresses a press conference in New Delhi. File | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma The Supreme Court on Tuesday (October 13, 2026) stayed further proceedings in a defamation case before a trial court in Maharashtra against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over his remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019.A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Aparesh Kumar Singh issued notices to the Maharashtra government and the complainant, M H. Shrishrimal, seeking their responses in four weeks."Issue notice returnable in four weeks. Further proceedings before the trial court shall remain stayed," the Bench ordered on a plea filed by Mr. Gandhi against a September 8 order of the Bombay High Court refusing to quash summons to him.Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the Raebareli MP, referred to earlier decisions of the top court and said the law is settled in the matter.The Bench posted the matter for further hearing after four weeks.On September 8, the Bombay High Court refused to quash the summons issued to Gandhi in 2019 in the defamation case.It had dismissed Mr. Gandhi's petition against a Girgaum magistrate's order dated August 28, 2019, for a process against him on Shrishrimal's complaint.The High Court, however, continued its 2021 order directing the magistrate to defer the hearing on the complaint for six weeks so that Mr. Gandhi could approach the Supreme Court.Shrishrimal had opposed Mr. Gandhi's plea in the high court, claiming that being a member of the BJP, he too was aggrieved by the remarks made against his leader.The complaint had alleged that Mr. Gandhi defamed PM Modi in a public speech on September 20, 2018, in Rajasthan.It claimed that Mr. Gandhi's statements amounted to direct allegations against all members of the BJP and Indian citizens connected to PM Modi. Published - October 13, 2026 11:53 am IST