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Rahul Gandhi Acquitted in 2018 Defamation Case

By Drooid · Oct 26, 2026, 9:57 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Rahul Gandhi Acquitted

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Shubham Verma acquitted Rahul Gandhi in the 2018 defamation case.
BJP leader Vijay Mishra filed the defamation complaint on August 4, 2018.
Gandhi’s Bengaluru rally remarks called Amit Shah a “murder accused,” which the court deemed non-defamatory.
Supporters greeted Gandhi with drums and flags after the acquittal on October 26, 2026.

Summary

Congress Convoy Crashes

A convoy crash on the Purvanchal Expressway injured Congress workers, party office-bearers, and security personnel.
Police said a private vehicle braked suddenly, triggering a rear-end pile-up.
The crash delayed the convoy, pushing its expected arrival at the Sultanpur court to around 11.15 am.
Rahul Gandhi arrived safely at Lucknow airport earlier and remained unharmed despite the accident.

History

Historical Context

In 1998, India's Supreme Court affirmed the criminal defamation provision of Section 499, confirming that false statements could merit up to two years imprisonment. The ruling, authored by Justice M. N. Kumar, cited the 1995 amendment that raised fines to INR5,000 for each defamatory publication. Today's acquittal of Rahul Gandhi by Chief Judicial Magistrate Shubham Verma echoes that precedent, as the court again deemed political speech non-defamatory despite BJP leader Vijay Mishra’s 2018 complaint. The parallel underscores how defamation jurisprudence continues to shape electoral rallies, prompting parties to calibrate rhetoric while courts balance free speech against reputational harm.

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Rahul Gandhi Acquitted

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Shubham Verma acquitted Rahul Gandhi in the 2018 defamation case.
BJP leader Vijay Mishra filed the defamation complaint on August 4, 2018.
Gandhi’s Bengaluru rally remarks called Amit Shah a “murder accused,” which the court deemed non-defamatory.
Supporters greeted Gandhi with drums and flags after the acquittal on October 26, 2026.

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