Karnataka High Court Stays Proceedings Against Rahul Gandhi in Defamation Case
The Karnataka High Court on Friday stayed the proceedings against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case filed by the state unit of the BJP.
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Friday stayed the proceedings against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case filed by the state unit of the BJP.
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Court’s Order and Adjournment
A bench, led by Justice M. Nagaprasanna, passed the order while reviewing the quash petition filed by the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. The matter has been adjourned until February 20 for further proceedings.
Bail Granted in June 2024
Rahul Gandhi was granted bail in the case by the Magistrate Court in June 2024. The BJP also included Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar as parties in the case. Gandhi, Siddaramaiah, and Shivakumar had all appeared before the court concerning the matter.
Details of the Defamation Suit
The defamation suit was filed by BJP General Secretary Keshav Prasad, alleging that the Congress party engaged in propaganda by publishing full-page advertisements accusing the then BJP government of charging a 40 percent commission. The advertisements labeled the BJP government as a “40 percent government” and included posters and rate cards that allegedly set prices for various posts within the government.
The petitioner, Keshav Prasad, claimed that these charges were baseless, defamatory, and prejudicial. The advertisements mentioned alleged scams related to PSI recruitment, the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA), and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
Congress Campaign Against BJP Government
The Congress party also ran a campaign accusing the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government of looting Rs 1.50 lakh crore during his regime. The BJP filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) over these allegations. Initially, the accusations were made through speeches, which were later supported by social media campaigns and posters across Karnataka.
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Earlier Case Dismissed Against Rahul Gandhi
In another related matter, the Karnataka High Court had earlier dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition against Rahul Gandhi for making a derogatory statement about Prajwal Revanna, the jailed former MP and grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda. The court, headed by Justice N. V. Anjaria and Justice K. V. Arvind, dismissed the case on October 21, 2024, and imposed a Rs 25,000 fine on the petitioner. The petition had been filed by the All India Dalit Action Committee.
