Sultanpur, OCT 26: In a key legal outcome for the Congress party, an MP/MLA court in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, cleared Rahul Gandhi of all charges in a six-year-old criminal defamation case. Presiding Judge Shubham Verma delivered the ruling on Monday, October 26, concluding a case that had its verdict date shifted from earlier in the month.
The complaint originated from the run-up to the 2018 Karnataka state elections. While addressing a rally in Bengaluru, Gandhi reportedly made contentious statements directed at then-BJP chief Amit Shah.
Following those remarks, local BJP leader Vijay Mishra filed a formal defamation petition in Sultanpur in August 2018. The special court’s decision to acquit Gandhi closes the long-running dispute, ruling that the allegations did not hold up under judicial review.
