Supreme Court stays Rahul Gandhi defamation case over Modi remarks

The Supreme Court stayed proceedings in the defamation case against Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on Narendra Modi. The order gives the Congress MP interim relief as the court seeks responses from Maharashtra and the complainant.Stock photo used for illustrationNewdelhi,Oct 13, 2026 11:42 ISTThe Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed further proceedings in a defamation case against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi before a trial court in Maharashtra over his 2019 remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Aparesh Kumar Singh also issued notices to the Maharashtra government and the complainant, M H Shrishrimal, and sought their responses within four weeks. “Issue notice returnable in four weeks. Further proceedings before the trial court shall remain stayed,” the bench said while hearing Gandhi’s plea against a Bombay High Court order refusing to quash summons issued to him.Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the Raebareli MP, referred to earlier decisions of the Supreme Court and said the law was settled in the matter. The bench then posted the case for further hearing after four weeks.On September 8, the Bombay High Court had refused to quash the summons issued to Gandhi in 2019 in the defamation case. It had dismissed his petition challenging a Girgaum magistrate’s August 28, 2019 order issuing process against him on Shrishrimal’s complaint. The high court, however, had continued its 2021 direction asking the magistrate to defer hearing on the complaint for six weeks to allow Gandhi to approach the Supreme Court.In the high court, Shrishrimal had opposed Gandhi’s plea, saying that as a BJP member, he too was aggrieved by the remarks made against his leader. The complaint alleged that Gandhi defamed the prime minister in a public speech delivered in Rajasthan on September 20, 2018. It said Gandhi’s statements amounted to direct allegations against all BJP members and Indian citizens connected to Modi.With the Supreme Court now staying the trial court proceedings and seeking responses from the Maharashtra government and the complainant, the matter will next be taken up after four weeks.- Ends