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On Friday(17th May),The Jharkhand High Court fined Rahul Gandhi Rs 1,000 for failing to respond on time in a defamation case involving remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Justice Anil Choudhary imposed the fine during the hearing of Gandhi’s petition to quash a non-bailable warrant.
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RANCHI: On Friday(17th May), The Jharkhand High Court has imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on Rahul Gandhi, a prominent Congress leader, for failing to file his response within the stipulated time in a case concerning “objectionable” remarks made against Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The High Court, which is currently hearing Rahul Gandhi’s petition to quash a non-bailable warrant issued against him, had previously issued a notice to him. However, due to the Congress leader’s failure to file a prompt response, Justice Anil Choudhary, presiding over the bench, decided to impose the fine, as confirmed by advocate Dhiraj Kumar.
Earlier this year, the MP-MLA court in Jharkhand’s Chaibasa had issued a non-bailable warrant against Rahul Gandhi in February 2024. The warrant was issued in response to allegations of objectionable and derogatory remarks made by Gandhi against the then BJP president, Amit Shah. This notice was filed based on a petition submitted by a BJP worker named Pratap Katiyar.
READ ALSO: Rahul Gandhi Fined Rs 500 in Thane Court for Delay in Defamation Case Response
Initially, Rahul Gandhi had filed a petition seeking personal exemption from appearing before the court. However, on March 14, the trial court rejected his plea and instructed him to appear on March 27. Subsequently, the Wayanad MP approached the High Court to challenge the trial court’s order.
On March 20, the High Court granted a stay on the non-bailable warrant for a month. Later, on April 25, it extended the stay on all proceedings initiated by the MP-MLA court. Additionally, the High Court issued a notice to both Rahul Gandhi and the complainant, Pratap Katiyar. Unfortunately, the delay in responding to this notice has resulted in the imposition of the fine on Rahul Gandhi.
Background:
Pratap Katiyar, the complainant in this case, had filed a defamation suit amounting to Rs 10 crore in 2018. According to the petition, during a Congress convention held in March 2018, Rahul Gandhi had made objectionable remarks targeting Amit Shah. Allegedly, Gandhi stated that even an individual facing “charges of murder” could become the president of the BJP. This statement was perceived as an insult towards all BJP workers, as claimed by the complainant.
ALSO READ: Rahul Gandhi Remarks On Amit Shah|| Jharkhand High Court Stayed The Arrest Warrant
It is essential for individuals involved in legal proceedings to adhere to the deadlines and respond promptly to court notices. Failure to do so can lead to consequences such as fines and other penalties. In this case, Rahul Gandhi’s delayed response resulted in the imposition of a Rs 1,000 fine by the Jharkhand High Court.