Mon Jun 02 18:38:29 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition, has petitioned the Jharkhand High Court to quash a non-bailable warrant issued against him by a Chaibasa MP-MLA Special Court. The warrant stems from a 2018 defamation case filed by a BJP leader regarding a speech in which Gandhi allegedly used defamatory language against BJP leaders. Gandhi failed to appear in court despite summons and a bailable warrant, leading to the issuance of the non-bailable warrant and his subsequent appeal to the High Court.

**News Article:**

**Rahul Gandhi Challenges Non-Bailable Warrant in Jharkhand High Court**

**PATNA, June 3, 2025 (The Hindu)** – Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, is seeking legal reprieve from the Jharkhand High Court, challenging a non-bailable warrant issued against him by the MP-MLA Special Court of Chaibasa. The petition requests the court to quash the warrant, preventing Gandhi from being compelled to appear in person on June 26.

The warrant was issued in relation to a defamation case filed by BJP leader Pratap Kumar in July 2018, stemming from a speech Gandhi delivered in March 2018 where he allegedly used “defamatory” language against BJP leaders. The case was initially filed in the Chaibasa court but was later transferred to a Special MP-MLA Court in Ranchi, and subsequently to the MP-MLA Special Court in Chaibasa following Jharkhand High Court orders.

Despite receiving summons and later a bailable warrant, Gandhi did not appear in court. His counsel’s petition for exemption from physical appearance was rejected, prompting the current appeal to the Jharkhand High Court. The case highlights the ongoing legal battles faced by the Congress leader and adds another chapter to the political discourse surrounding freedom of speech and defamation laws in India.

Read More