Chaibasa: Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi appeared before the special MP-MLA court at Chaibasa Civil Court on Wednesday in connection with a criminal defamation case filed against him over remarks made during a 2018 speech.
Gandhi marked his attendance before Judge Supriya Rani Tigga, following which the court granted him bail on the condition that he would cooperate during the trial proceedings. Advocates Pradeep Chandra and Dipankar Roy represented him in court.
The case dates back to March 28, 2018, when Gandhi, while addressing the All India Congress Committee (AICC) plenary session, allegedly called BJP leaders “murderers” and “liars.” BJP leader Pratap Kumar Katiyar lodged a criminal defamation case against him in the Chaibasa CJM Court on July 9, 2018, objecting to the comments. Katiyar, accompanied by other BJP leaders, was present in court during the hearing.
Rahul Gandhi reached Chaibasa by helicopter from Ranchi, with special security arrangements in place. A helipad was set up at Tata College ground to facilitate his arrival. State Health Minister Irfan Ansari, Rural Development Minister Deepika Pandey, MLA Anup Singh, former minister Bandhu Tirkey, and former Jharkhand Congress president Rajesh Thakur travelled by road from Ranchi via Bandgaon and Chakradharpur, arriving in Chaibasa around 10:30 a.m. Gandhi entered the court premises at 10:57 a.m., though only his legal team was allowed inside. Ministers Irfan Ansari and Deepika Pandey, along with other leaders, waited outside along with MLA Sona Ram Sinku.
The case has seen multiple legal turns over the past seven years. Initially filed in Chaibasa court, it was transferred to Ranchi MP-MLA special court in February 2020 on Jharkhand High Court orders, before being sent back to Chaibasa for further proceedings. After taking cognizance of the case, the court issued summons to Gandhi, but his repeated absence led to first a bailable and then a non-bailable warrant being issued. Gandhi challenged the warrant in Jharkhand High Court, but his plea was dismissed on March 20, 2024. His subsequent application under Section 205 of the CrPC for exemption from personal appearance was also rejected by the Chaibasa court.
Against this rejection, he again approached the High Court but later withdrew the petition on March 10, 2025, stating his intention to file a criminal miscellaneous petition. An interim stay granted by the High Court on April 25, 2024, had meanwhile lapsed, prompting the Chaibasa court to issue another non-bailable warrant on May 22, 2025. Gandhi then moved the High Court again, challenging the summons on June 2, 2025, but the court directed him to appear in Chaibasa on June 26. His counsel informed the court that he could not attend on the given date, leading to the rescheduled appearance on Wednesday.
With Gandhi’s attendance now recorded and bail granted, the court will continue with the trial proceedings, with the next hearing expected to focus on framing charges. The high-profile case has attracted significant political attention in Jharkhand, as BJP and Congress supporters gathered near the court premises amid tight security.
