'Murder Accused-BJP President' Remark| Jharkhand HC Grants Last Chance To Complainant To File Counter In Defamation Case Against Rahul Gandhi

In a defamation case filed against Congress leader and disqualified MP Rahul Gandhi for allegedly maligning BJP and its then-president leader Amit Shah, the Jharkhand High Court granted a last chance to the complainant to file his counter affidavit in the matter. 

The case against Gandhi filed by BJP Leader Navin Jha pertains to a statement made by Gandhi in 2018 wherein he allegedly said that people will accept a man accused of murder as the President of the BJP (referring to the then BJP President Amit Shah), but they will never ever accept the same in the Congress Party, because they hold Congress in the highest regard.

Gandhi moved the High Court in December 2018 praying to set aside the criminal proceedings initiated against him by the magisterial court in Ranchi. Till date, no counter affidavit has been filed in the matter despite a specific order was passed in this regard by the HC.

In view of the same, the bench of Justice Ambuj Nath last week, granting a last chance to the complainant to file a counter, ordered thus:

"By way of last indulgence, list this case on 12.05.2023 at 2.15 P.M. It is, however, made clear that if the counter affidavit is not filed within the stipulated time, the opposite party No.2 shall be deprived of filing the counter affidavit. Till then, the interim order earlier granted shall remain in force."

As is evident, the Court, while hearing the petition, has also directed that no coercive steps be taken against Gandhi till further orders of the court in this regard.

Case title - Rahul Gandhi vs. The State of Jharkhand & Anr.

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