The Supreme Court on Friday extended its earlier stay on criminal proceedings against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a case filed in Uttar Pradesh over his 2022 remarks against freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The court also adjourned the hearing by four weeks.
A bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih passed the order after a letter seeking adjournment was circulated on behalf of Gandhi. The matter relates to Gandhi’s alleged comments made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra on November 17, 2022, at a rally in Akola, Maharashtra, which led to a criminal case being filed by advocate Nripendra Pandey in a UP court.
Senior advocate Garima Prasad, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, informed the bench that the state had already submitted its response opposing Gandhi’s plea to quash the proceedings. The UP government sided with the complainant and claimed Gandhi’s remarks were made with the “intention of spreading hate and enmity within society.”
“The impugned order of the Allahabad High Court is justified and legal,” the state argued, urging the apex court not to interfere.
The court also granted liberty to the complainant, advocate Nripendra Pandey, to file his reply by the end of the day, and allowed Gandhi to file a rejoinder within two weeks.
Earlier, on April 25, the Supreme Court had stayed the criminal proceedings and expressed displeasure over Gandhi’s remarks, cautioning that freedom fighters should not be mocked. Gandhi had approached the top court against the Allahabad High Court’s refusal to quash the summons issued against him in the case.
The charges against Gandhi include promoting enmity between different groups and creating public mischief under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code.
The matter will now be taken up after four weeks.
