Jharkhand HC dismisses Rahul Gandhi's petition to quash proceedings against him

Rahul Gandhi. Pic/PTI

The Jharkhand High Court has rejected Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's petition seeking to quash proceedings against him in a trial court in connection with a criminal complaint, reported news agency PTI.

Naveen Jha, a BJP worker, had filed the case against Rahul Gandhi in 2019 for his alleged defamatory remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah, reported PTI.

Justice Ambuj Nath of the high court dismissed Rahul Gandhi's petition on Wednesday but the order was uploaded on the high court website on Friday, reported PTI.

The senior Congress leader had contested the decision of a magisterial court in Ranchi, which instructed him to personally appear before the court to undergo trial. Later, Gandhi moved the high court, which issued a stay order on any further actions in the lower court against him.

The HC had also issued notices to complainant Jha to appear in the case, reported PTI.

During one of his public speeches in Chaibasa before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Gandhi had referred to Shah as a "murderer", reported PTI.

After recording the statements of the complainant and witnesses, magistrate Anamika Kisku had found merit in the case against Gandhi and directed him to appear before the trial court on February 4, 2023, reported PTI.

Later, the HC, while issuing a stay on the notice issued by the magistrate, ordered that "no coercive steps" be taken against Gandhi.

Meanwhile, More than a month after the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra started, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday joined party MP and her brother Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad.

According to party functionaries, from Moradabad, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will accompany Rahul Gandhi as the yatra traverses through Fatehpur Sikri via Amroha, Sambhal, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Hathras, and Agra.

Priyanka was scheduled to join the yatra last week when it entered UP through Chandauli district but had to drop out because of ill health.

The Congress General Secretary had earlier expressed her disappointment in not being able to participate in the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra on February 16 due to her illness.

"I was really looking forward to receiving the BJNY in UP today but unfortunately, have ended up admitted to hospital. I will be there as soon as I am better! Meanwhile wishing all the yatris, my colleagues in UP who have worked hard towards making arrangements for the yatra and my sweet brother, all success as they reach Chandauli today," Priyanka Gandhi Vadra posted on X.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)