New Delhi, Oct 13:
The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed further proceedings in a defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018.
The Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Aparesh Kumar Singh issued notices to the Maharashtra government and complainant M.H. Shrishrimal, seeking their responses within four weeks.
The order came on a petition filed by Gandhi challenging the Bombay High Court’s September 8 decision refusing to quash the summons issued to him by a Mumbai magistrate in August 2019. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Gandhi, referred to earlier Supreme Court decisions during the hearing.
The complaint relates to a speech Gandhi delivered in Rajasthan in September 2018, in which he allegedly made defamatory remarks against Modi in connection with the Rafale deal. The complainant, a BJP member, argued that the remarks were directed against the Prime Minister and those associated with him. The Supreme Court will take up the matter again after four weeks.