Daijiworld Media Network - Ranchi

Ranchi, Jun 2: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who also serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has turned to the Jharkhand High Court to challenge a non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued against him by a special MP-MLA court in Chaibasa. The warrant stems from a 2018 defamation case linked to Gandhi’s alleged remarks against then BJP National President Amit Shah.

The NBW, dated May 22, followed Gandhi’s repeated absence despite prior court summonses. The Chaibasa court has now directed him to appear in person on June 26.

In his petition, Gandhi’s legal counsel argued that an application filed under Section 205 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) — seeking exemption from personal appearance — remains undecided before the same trial court. Issuing an NBW while the exemption plea is still pending, the petition argues, is both premature and legally untenable.

The case originates from a complaint filed by Pratap Katiyar of Chaibasa on July 9, 2018. According to Katiyar, during a Congress meeting, Gandhi allegedly said: “No murderer can become the national president in the Congress. Congressmen cannot accept a murderer as the national president — this is possible only in the BJP.” This statement was perceived as a reference to Amit Shah, who at the time was the BJP’s National President.

Initially, the Chaibasa court issued a bailable warrant against Gandhi in April 2022, but he allegedly failed to respond. In February 2024, the court escalated the matter by issuing a non-bailable warrant. Gandhi’s legal team subsequently sought exemption from personal appearance, but the trial court rejected their plea.

In response, Gandhi approached the Jharkhand High Court, which granted him temporary relief. However, with the case still pending, the special court’s fresh NBW has prompted Gandhi to once again seek intervention from the High Court.