INDIA · 27 Oct 2026 · 03:58 GMT ·2 min read

Rahul Gandhi Acquitted in 2018 Defamation Case Over Remarks on Amit Shah

An MP/MLA court in Sultanpur acquitted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on October 26, 2026, in a criminal defamation case.

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An MP/MLA court in Sultanpur acquitted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on October 26, 2026, in a criminal defamation case. The case stemmed from a 2018 press conference where Gandhi called Amit Shah a 'murder accused.' Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Shubham Verma ruled the remarks were not defamatory. Local Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vijay Mishra filed the complaint in August 2018. Gandhi's legal team defended the case, which reached trial in 2023. A minor collision involving Gandhi's convoy occurred on October 26, 2026. The government has launched an investigation into the incident.

Context

The defamation case stems from remarks Rahul Gandhi made on May 8, 2018, at a press conference in Bengaluru during the Karnataka Assembly elections. Gandhi called then-BJP national president Amit Shah a "murder accused." This comment referenced the 2005 Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case. A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court discharged Amit Shah of murder and evidence destruction charges in 2014. The Supreme Court of India upheld this discharge in 2016 and rejected an appeal for a reinvestigation. The Sultanpur MP/MLA court summoned Gandhi for trial on November 27, 2023, and he secured bail. The complainant stated in 2023 that he filed the legal action because the remarks caused him personal pain as a party worker.

Supportive perspectives

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Shubham Verma acquitted Rahul Gandhi on October 26, 2026. The judge ruled that the 2018 remarks were not defamatory. This decision ended the legal proceedings from the 2018 complaint.
UP Congress president Aradhana Mishra 'Mona' expressed confidence in the judicial process prior to the verdict. The party maintained that the legal system would provide a fair outcome regarding the 2018 statements.
Senior Advocate RS Cheema represented Rahul Gandhi in court. Kashi Shukla, Tarannum Cheema, Prasanna S, and Akash Singh served as co-counsel on the defense team. The court issued the summons in 2023.

Critical perspectives

The case proceeded under Sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code. These sections govern criminal defamation. The complainant requested a comparison of Gandhi's voice sample. The trial court rejected that request.
The complaint was filed on August 4, 2018. The court initially set the verdict for October 13, 2026. Officials later moved the date to October 26, 2026. The sessions court and the Allahabad High Court upheld the trial court’s procedural rulings.