Mumbai : The Bombay High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi seeking to quash summons issued in 2019. The summons had been issued in connection with a defamation complaint filed against him over his “commander-in-chief of thieves” (choron ka sardar) remark regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A single-judge bench led by Justice N.R. Borkar rejected Rahul’s plea challenging the magistrate court’s order. However, the High Court maintained its 2021 order directing the magistrate to defer the hearing on the complaint for six weeks, allowing Rahul Gandhi time to appeal the decision in the Supreme Court.

Justice Borkar stated that the court found no “irregularity or illegality” in the magistrate’s order; therefore, there were no grounds for interference. The High Court clarified, “This court found no flaw in the order. Hence, the petition is dismissed.”

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, had challenged the Girgaon magistrate’s order dated August 28, 2019, which had directed the initiation of criminal proceedings based on a complaint filed against him. The complaint was lodged by M.H. Shrishrimal, who identified himself as a worker for the ruling BJP.

The defamation complaint against the Congress leader was filed in connection with his “commander-in-chief of thieves” remark made against Prime Minister Modi regarding the Rafale fighter jet deal in 2018.

The complaint alleged that Rahul Gandhi had defamed Prime Minister Modi by making this remark during a public rally in Rajasthan in September 2018.

Advocates Sudeep Pasbola and Kushal Mor, appearing for Rahul Gandhi, argued that the complaint was baseless and that the complainant lacked the legal standing to file it. In his complaint, Shrishrimal alleged that Rahul had also posted a video on his ‘X’ account in which the Prime Minister was referred to as “Commander-in-Thief.”

According to the complainant, these statements leveled allegations of theft against all BJP members and Indian citizens associated with Prime Minister Modi. Shrishrimal had opposed Rahul’s petition in the High Court.

Report – Abhijit Tushar Bhatt (Political Editor)