Rahul Gandhi Skips Court For 4th Time In Defamation Case; Complainant Seeks Non-Bailable Warrant

Lucknow: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi failed to appear before the ACJM-III Court here for the fourth time in a defamation case filed under IPC Section 500. The complainant, Uday Shankar Srivastava, sought a non-bailable warrant, calling the absence contempt of court.

Gandhi's counsel requested deferment, citing a pending SLP in the Supreme Court. Srivastava, a retired BRO Director, filed the case on December 16, 2022, alleging Gandhi insulted the army through remarks made during a press interaction in Jaipur on December 6, 2022.

Gandhi had stated the government was ignoring China’s military posture and misleading the public. The trial court had issued summons on February 11, 2025, with hearings scheduled for March 24, April 29, May 17, and June 4 all unattended by Gandhi.

His High Court petition under Section 482 CrPC was dismissed on May 29, 2025. The court upheld the summons’ legality and ruled that the case merits trial.