Fri Jan 17 21:14:52 UTC 2025: ## Karnataka High Court Stays Defamation Case Against Rahul Gandhi

**Bengaluru, January 18** – The Karnataka High Court has temporarily halted proceedings in a criminal defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, filed by the state BJP. The court issued an interim stay order on Friday, January 17th, following a plea by Gandhi seeking to quash the case entirely.

The case stems from advertisements released by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, alleging a “corruption rate card” within the BJP regarding government appointments and transfers. The BJP claims these allegations are false and defamatory, citing Gandhi’s use of the phrase “trouble engine Sarkar” (instead of the BJP’s popular “double engine Sarkar”) as further evidence of malicious intent.

Justice M Nagaprasanna, hearing the plea, issued a notice to the BJP, returnable by February 20th. Until then, all further proceedings in the lower court are stayed. The High Court will hear the matter again on that date.

While Gandhi was granted bail by a magistrate’s court in June 2024, this High Court intervention marks a significant development in the case. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar were previously granted bail in the same case.

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