Remarks Against Amit Shah: Jharkhand HC Penalizes Rahul Gandhi With ₹ 1,000 Fine For Seeking Adjournment

The Jharkhand High Court has imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for continuously seeking adjournment in the case filed by him challenging the warrant issued against him pursuant to the case filed against him for alleged objectionable remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The order was passed in Rahul Gandhi’s petition to quash a non-bailable warrant issued against him and he has been consistently seeking adjournment of the matter, as can be seen from previous orders of the Court in the matter. 

The Single-Judge Bench of Justice Anil Kumar Choudhary said, "Prayer for time is allowed subject to deposit of Rs.1,000/- by the petitioner with Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority (JHALSA) within two weeks, failing which, this criminal miscellaneous petition shall stand dismissed without further reference to the Bench."

"If the proof of deposit of Rs.1,000/- with JHALSA by the petitioner is filed within two weeks, list this criminal miscellaneous petition after two weeks," the Bench ordered. 

The controversy stems from a non-bailable warrant issued by the MP-MLA court in Jharkhand’s Chaibasa against Rahul Gandhi in February 2024. The warrant was issued based on alleged objectionable and derogatory remarks made by Gandhi against the then BJP president, Amit Shah. The warrant was initiated following a Petition filed by BJP worker Pratap Katiyar.

Despite Rahul Gandhi's plea for personal exemption, which was rejected by the Trial Court on March 14, he was instructed to appear before the court on March 27. Subsequently, the Wayanad MP approached the High Court to challenge the Trial Court's decision.

Pertinently, on March 20, the Court had granted a month-long stay on the non-bailable warrant and, on April 25, halted all proceedings initiated by the MP-MLA court. 

The complainant, Pratap Katiyar, initially filed a defamation suit amounting to Rs 10 crore in 2018. According to the Petition, during a Congress convention in March 2018, Rahul Gandhi allegedly made objectionable remarks against Amit Shah. Gandhi purportedly insinuated that individuals facing “charges of murder” could ascend to the presidency of the BJP, which Katiyar deemed an insult to all BJP workers.

Cause Title: Rahul Gandhi v. State of Jharkhand & Anr. 

Appearance:-

Petitioner: Advocate Gaurav Abhishekh

Respondent: Advocates Veervijay Pradhan (APP), Gautam Kumar

Click here to read/download the Order