High Court Dismisses Rahul Gandhi's Plea in Defamation Case Involving Army

In a significant legal development, the Allahabad High Court has rejected former Congress President Rahul Gandhi's plea to quash summons in a defamation case. The case pertains to Gandhi's alleged derogatory remarks against the Indian Army during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in December 2022.

The judgment was delivered by Justice Subhash Vidyathi of the Lucknow bench on May 29, affirming a prima facie case for defamation. Justice Vidyathi emphasized the constitutional right to freedom of speech is subject to reasonable restrictions, excluding defamatory statements.

The defamation complaint was initiated by Udai Shanker Srivastava, a retired Director from the Border Roads Organisation. Srivastava claims Gandhi's comments on an army face-off were baseless and damaging, seeking to undermine public trust in the military. The High Court supported the trial court's decision to summon Gandhi.

(With inputs from agencies.)