NEW DELHI, Jan 20: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the trial proceedings against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case filed by BJP worker Naveen Jha. The case stems from Gandhi’s alleged defamatory remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah made during a public speech in Chaibasa ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where he reportedly referred to Shah as a “murderer.”
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued a notice to the Jharkhand government and Jha, seeking their response to Gandhi’s appeal. The Congress leader had challenged a Jharkhand High Court order that dismissed his petition to quash the trial court proceedings in the case.
