The Bombay High Court has stated that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has a legal right to a prompt resolution in the defamation case filed against him. This ruling was made by Justice Prithviraj Chavan of the single-judge bench on July 12, emphasizing that Article 21 of the Constitution guarantees every individual the right to a speedy and fair trial.
The High Court also overturned a lower court’s decision that had allowed an RSS worker to submit new and additional documents in the case against Gandhi. This move has provided some relief to the Congress leader, who had appealed against the magistrate’s decision in the high court.
The case dates back to 2014 when RSS worker Rajesh Kunte filed a defamation complaint in a magistrate court in Bhiwandi. Kunte alleged that during a speech, Gandhi falsely accused the RSS of being responsible for Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination. In response to a court’s permission in 2023 allowing Kunte to submit a transcript of Gandhi’s speech, Rahul Gandhi sought to cancel the summons issued against him, arguing his speech from 2014.
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Justice Chavan criticized Kunte’s actions for causing unnecessary delays in the case. The court noted, “Defendant No. 2 (Kunte) is leaving no stone unturned to hinder the petitioner’s (Rahul Gandhi) legitimate right to a quick decision on the merits of the complaint, in light of Article 21 of the Constitution of India.” The bench also instructed the magistrate to expedite the decision on the complaint, which has been pending for over a decade.
