The Bombay High Court on August 2, 2023 extended the interim relief granted to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from appearing before the magistrate till September 26. The case pertains to a defamation suit filed by a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over his statement of calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ‘Commander In Thief’.
Mr. Gandhi is challenging the summons issued to him by a magistrate court in the case. A Single Bench of Justice S.V. Kotwal did not hear the matter but extended the interim relief given to Mr. Gandhi in November 2021 till September 26.
The complaint was filed by Mahesh Shrishrimal (43), member of the BJP Maharashtra State Committee, on September 20, 2018. It said, “in relation to the Rafale Aircraft deal, while addressing a public rally at Jaipur then at Amethi, Mr. Gandhi defamed the prime minister, Narendra Modi, and BJP party members with the remark ‘choukidar chor hain’ (guard is a thief)... these derogatory remarks has defamed the image of PM at the national and international level. The said remarks and related news were broadcasted on various news channels, newspapers and social media causing serious defamation.”
