Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi acquitted in defamation case, TV channels report

Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was acquitted of defamation charges on Monday, according to reports from television channels. The ruling came after a local court in Sultanpur, a northern Indian town, pronounced the verdict. The acquittal occurred amidst a united opposition campaign led by Gandhi against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chief Election Commissioner, who are facing scrutiny over a contentious revision of voter lists.

Gandhi, a 56-year-old leader of India's main opposition Congress party, was at the center of the defamation case. He was alleged to have called Home Minister Amit Shah, then the head of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a "murder accused" during a campaign speech in 2018. The accusation was leveled by a BJP member and resulted in a lawsuit filed in Sultanpur town, Uttar Pradesh state.

The court's decision was announced on Monday, marking a significant moment in Gandhi's political career. His supporters celebrated the acquittal outside the courtroom, with images captured on television showing them bursting crackers, beating drums, and waving party flags as he exited the building. Gandhi's defense team had argued that the statement in question was a political criticism, not a defamatory remark.

Notably, Gandhi's legal troubles extended beyond this case. In 2023, a court in Modi's home state of Gujarat convicted him in a separate defamation case over a remark about the Modi surname. That ruling had briefly threatened Gandhi's seat in parliament. However, the latest acquittal in Sultanpur appears to provide Gandhi with a respite, as he continues to lead the opposition against the Modi government.