Ranchi: A non-bailable warrant has been issued against Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, by the MP-MLA Special Court in Chaibasa. The court has directed him to appear in person on June 26.
Rahul Gandhi’s lawyer had submitted an application under Section 205 of the CrPC seeking exemption from personal appearance, but the court rejected the plea and ordered his presence.
The case dates back to 2018. On March 28 that year, during the All India Congress Committee’s plenary session, Rahul Gandhi allegedly referred to BJP leaders as “murderers” and “liars” during his speech. Taking objection to the remarks, BJP leader Pratap Kumar filed a defamation case against Gandhi in Chaibasa CJM Court on July 9, 2018.
Following initial hearings and witness depositions, the case was transferred to the Special MP-MLA Court in Ranchi on February 20, 2020, as per orders from the Jharkhand High Court. It was later moved again to the Chaibasa MP-MLA Special Court, where the court took cognizance of the case and issued summons to Rahul Gandhi. However, he failed to appear.
Initially, a bailable warrant was issued, but after repeated absences, the court escalated the matter. Rahul Gandhi had challenged the warrant in the High Court, but on March 20, 2024, the petition was dismissed. He then filed an application under Section 205 in Chaibasa court, which was also rejected.
Subsequently, he challenged that rejection in the High Court, but withdrew his petition on March 10, 2025, stating he would instead file a criminal miscellaneous petition. As a result, the Jharkhand High Court lifted its interim stay order issued on April 25, 2024.
Following these developments, on May 22, 2025, the Chaibasa court once again issued a non-bailable warrant against Rahul Gandhi and ordered him to appear in court on June 26.