J'khand HC adjourns petition by Rahul challenging criminal proceedings in Chaibasa court

The Jharkhand High Court on Monday adjourned a petition filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, challenging criminal proceedings in an MP-MLA court at Chaibasa.

A case of defamation was filed against Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, by a person named Pratap Kumar for allegedly making defamatory statements against Union Home Minister Amit Shah at an election rally in Chaibasa in 2018.

The Jharkhand High Court will hear the case again after a fortnight.

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

Earlier on August 6, Gandhi was granted bail by the MP-MLA court in Chaibasa, where he had appeared in person.

''The case was initially registered in Ranchi and was transferred to Chaibasa in 2021. We had filed a petition for exemption from personal appearance before the high court... and we are here as per the high court's direction,'' Gandhi's counsel had said.

On June 2, Gandhi had moved the Jharkhand High Court, challenging the order of the special court in Chaibasa, which had directed him to appear before it on June 26.

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