Rahul Gandhi acquitted by UP court in 2018 Amit Shah defamation case

Rahul Gandhi was acquitted by a Sultanpur court in a 2018 defamation case over remarks about Amit Shah. The case, filed by BJP leader Vijay Mishra, saw several hearings, witness statements and legal challenges over a voice sample.Rahul Gandhi gets acquitted in a 2018 defamation case. (Credits: Nitin Srivastava)Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh,Oct 26, 2026 11:53 ISTA special MP/MLA court in Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur on Monday acquitted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a 2018 criminal defamation case over remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.Gandhi appeared before the court for the pronouncement of the verdict.VIDEO | Uttar Pradesh: Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi leaves the Special MP-MLA Court in Sultanpur following the court's dismissal of the defamation case relating to his 2018 remarks against Amit Shah. (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/d8jp61yd2p) https://t.co/nb1a5NVcpZ— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 26, 2026The case was filed by BJP leader Vijay Mishra, a former chairman of the Sultanpur District Cooperative Bank, over remarks Gandhi reportedly made about Shah during a campaign rally in Bengaluru ahead of the 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections.Mishra filed the complaint against Gandhi on August 4, 2018. CASE PROCEEDED FOR 8 YEARSThe case proceeded through several stages over the years. Gandhi surrendered before the court in February 2024 and was granted bail. His statement was recorded in July 2024, while the court also examined the complainant and other witnesses during the proceedings.Arguments in the case began on October 6, 2026, and concluded on October 12. The court had scheduled the verdict for October 26. Additional Civil Judge Shubham Verma had initially scheduled the verdict for October 13 before fixing October 26 as the date for its pronouncement.The case relates to remarks Rahul Gandhi made about then-BJP president Amit Shah at a campaign rally in Bengaluru during the 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections. BJP leader Vijay Mishra, a former chairman of the Sultanpur District Cooperative Bank, filed a defamation complaint against Gandhi on August 4, 2018.Gandhi surrendered before the court on February 20, 2024, and was granted bail. His statement was recorded on July 26, 2024, followed by the examination of the complainant and other witnesses.In March 2026, an application was filed seeking to match Gandhi’s voice sample. The trial court rejected it in May, and subsequent challenges were dismissed by the district court in July and the Allahabad High Court in September.Arguments in the case began on October 6, 2026, and concluded on October 12. The court subsequently scheduled the verdict for October 26, when Gandhi appeared in person and was acquitted.VEHICLES IN RAHUL GANDHI’S CONVOY COLLIDEEarlier on Monday, vehicles travelling behind Gandhi’s car collided on the Purvanchal Expressway in Sultanpur district while he was travelling from Lucknow to attend the court proceedings.The collision occurred around 10.15 am near the 89.5-km mark of the expressway, within the jurisdiction of the Haliyapur police station.A police officer told PTI that a private vehicle belonging to local Congress leaders and travelling at the front of the convoy suddenly applied the brakes for an unspecified reason. This caused vehicles behind it to collide with one another.Gandhi’s car was not involved in the collision and remained safe. The convoy soon resumed its journey towards Sultanpur, the officer said.The convoy was accompanied by police personnel for security as the Congress leader travelled to the court for the verdict.- Ends