The defamation complaint was filed over alleged remarks at a Jaipur rally in 2018, while Gandhi had received interim relief from the Bombay HC in 2021.
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday rejected Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's plea challenging a criminal defamation complaint over his alleged remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A single bench of Justice N R Borkar upheld the lower court's order, observing that there was no "perversity and illegality" in the magistrate's decision. The criminal defamation proceedings against Gandhi will now continue before the Girgaon Metropolitan Magistrate Court, where he will be required to appear in person.
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Defamation case dates back to 2019
The case stems from a complaint filed before the Girgaon Metropolitan Magistrate Court. In 2019, the magistrate issued summons to Gandhi after finding a prima facie case of criminal defamation under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Gandhi subsequently approached the Bombay High Court seeking to quash the proceedings. The complainant opposed his plea.
In November 2021, the High Court had granted interim relief to Gandhi, directing the magistrate court to defer the hearing and exempting him from personal appearance until a final decision on his petition.
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BJP member's complaint over Jaipur rally remarks
The complaint was filed by local BJP member Mahesh Shrishrimal, who alleged that Gandhi made derogatory remarks against Modi during a rally in Jaipur, Rajasthan, on August 20, 2018. The speech was broadcast on national television.
According to Shrishrimal, Gandhi made the remarks while targeting Modi, saying: "I do not want to be the PM of the country, I want to be the country's watchman. And today a new voice is rising in the country. There is noise in the street, India's watchman is a thief."
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Proceedings to continue before magistrate court
Shrishrimal claimed that Gandhi's remarks were defamatory towards the Prime Minister and also damaged the reputation of BJP workers.
With the High Court rejecting Gandhi's plea, the criminal defamation proceedings will continue before the Girgaon Metropolitan Magistrate Court.
Published: 08 Sept 2026, 03:25 pm IST
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