Jharkhand HC quashes criminal proceedings against Rahul in defamation case

Ranchi, Oct 9 (PTI) The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday quashed criminal proceedings against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pending in the MP-MLA court at Chaibasa in connection with a defamation case.

The court of Justice Anil Kumar Choudhary was hearing a petition filed by Gandhi for setting aside the order of cognisance and criminal proceedings launched against him in the case.

The case was filed against the former Congress president by BJP leader Pratap Katiyar on July 9, 2018, alleging that Gandhi had made defamatory remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a rally.

Katiyar, in his petition filed before the court of the magistrate in Chaibasa, had said that Gandhi’s statements were defamatory and made purposely to malign the stature of Shah.

The high court, while observing in its order that the cognisance taken by the Chaibasa magistrate court is illegal, sent the matter back for fresh consideration by the magistrate. PTI CORR NAM RBT