Complaint for remarks against PM Modi: Bombay high court refuses to quash 2019 summons to Rahul Gandhi

Mumbai, Sep 8 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Tuesday refused to quash the summons issued to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in 2019 in a defamation complaint over his remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he had called a "commander-in-thief".

A single bench of Justice N R Borkar dismissed Gandhi's petition against the magistrate court's order. The HC, however, continued its 2021 order directing the magistrate to defer hearing on the complaint for six weeks so that Gandhi can approach the Supreme Court in appeal.

The direction to defer the hearing on the defamation complaint meant that Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, would not be required to appear before the magistrate.