Supreme Court Extends Stay on Rahul Gandhi's Criminal Case

The Supreme Court has extended the stay on criminal proceedings concerning Rahul Gandhi, filed over his statements targeting Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. A judicial bench consisting of Justices Dipankra Datta and Augustine George Masih acknowledged the circulation of a letter seeking adjournment in the case, scheduled for review in four weeks.

Garima Prasad, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, informed the court that a response to Gandhi's plea has been submitted. The state seeks the plea's dismissal, aligning with complainant Nripendra Pandey's accusation that Gandhi's remarks aimed to incite societal discord. The state refutes the plea, considering the Allahabad High Court's decision as legally justified.

The Supreme Court bench granted complainant Pandey, who initiated the lawsuit against Gandhi, permission to submit his reply. The court allows Gandhi to respond to these filings within two weeks. On April 25, the court criticized Gandhi for his statements, reinforcing a stay on the criminal processes initiated in Uttar Pradesh.

(With inputs from agencies.)