The Madhya Pradesh High Court has decided to close the defamation proceedings against Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha. This action comes after Gandhi expressed regret for his comments made during the 2018 Madhya Pradesh Assembly election campaign. The remarks allegedly linked Kartikey Singh Chouhan, son of Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, to the Panama Papers controversy.
A single-judge bench, Justice Pramod Kumar Agrawal, ordered the closure of the proceedings before the High Court and the criminal defamation complaint before the MP-MLA court in Bhopal. The court took note of Rahul Gandhi’s expression of regret and Kartikey Singh Chouhan’s decision not to pursue the matter further.
The case stemmed from a speech delivered by Rahul Gandhi during an election rally in Jhabua in 2018. Following this, Kartikey Singh Chouhan filed a criminal defamation complaint, claiming that Gandhi’s remarks had tarnished his reputation by associating him with the Panama Papers leak controversy.
In response, Rahul Gandhi submitted an affidavit during the hearing, clarifying that Kartikey’s name was mentioned mistakenly due to a misunderstanding. He also informed the court that he had promptly issued a clarification after the speech, intending to refer to Abhishek Singh, son of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh.
Senior advocate Vivek Tankha, who represented Rahul Gandhi in court, commended Gandhi for admitting the mistake publicly, emphasizing honesty and integrity. Tankha highlighted Gandhi’s commitment to truth and spiritual values, describing him as a fearless and mentally strong individual in all circumstances.
With Kartikey Singh Chouhan accepting Rahul Gandhi’s expression of regret and no further action sought, the court’s decision marks the conclusion of a legal dispute originating from the 2018 Assembly election campaign in Madhya Pradesh.
