A court in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, has dismissed a defamation complaint filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi concerning a social media post related to the alleged Hathras gang rape and murder case of 2020. The verdict was delivered on Wednesday by Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division) Deepak Nath Saraswati, who had reserved the order on May 2 after hearing arguments from both sides. The central question before the court was whether Gandhi should be summoned in person in the case.
Background of the Case
Gandhi had visited Hathras on December 12, 2024, to meet the family of the 19-year-old victim. Following his visit, he claimed that several assurances made by the state government to the family remained unfulfilled. The complainants alleged that during this visit, Gandhi made a post on social media platform X, in which he referred to them as “gang rape accused” despite their acquittal by a court on March 2, 2023. They argued that the post damaged their restored social reputation and once again portrayed them as criminals after being widely circulated online.
Legal Representation and Arguments
Advocates Alok Chandra from Lucknow and Bhagwati Prasad Baghel from Hathras appeared on behalf of Rahul Gandhi, while advocate Munna Singh Pundir represented the complainants. Advocate Baghel informed the Times of India that after hearing both sides and examining the evidence and witness testimonies, the court dismissed the complaint against Gandhi.
Court’s Observations
In its judgment, the court observed: “After considering the submissions, the court concluded that the disputed statement made by the opposite party was intended to criticise or comment on the government’s declarations and policies. Upon examination of the oral and documentary evidence presented by the complainant, along with the report called for under section 225 of BNSS, it was not prima facie evident that the disputed statement was made with the intention of defaming any particular individual.” The court further held that there were “insufficient grounds” to proceed against the opposite party or summon him in the matter, and accordingly dismissed the complaint.
Next Steps
Advocate Pundir said, “We will go through the judgment, which I have not seen yet, and then decide our next course of action.” The complainants may consider filing an appeal against the decision. This development marks a significant legal relief for Rahul Gandhi, who has faced multiple defamation cases in recent years.
