Mumbai: In a breather to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the Bombay High Court on Monday directed a local court to defer hearing on a defamation complaint filed against him beyond December 20. The local court had earlier asked Gandhi to appear before it on November 25 in a defamation complaint filed by one Mahesh Shrishrimal.
The petition relates to Gandhi's remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale fighter jet deal during a rally in Rajasthan in September 2018.
Gandhi had approached the High Court seeking quashing of the order of the magistrate and a stay on the proceedings pending the hearing of the petition.
When the petition came up for hearing on Monday, Advocate Rohan Mahadik, appearing for the complainant, sought time to file a reply to Gandhi's petition in form of an affidavit.
Advocate Sudeep Pasbola, who appeared for Gandhi, said they do not have an objection if time is granted for filing the reply, but then the proceedings before the magistrate cannot go on.
Read: Defamation case: Rahul Gandhi appears before Guj court, denies charges
A single bench of Justice S K Shinde then adjourned the hearing on the petition till December 16. "In the meanwhile, the Metropolitan Magistrate shall defer proceedings into the complaint beyond December 20," Justice Shinde said.
The metropolitan magistrate's court had initiated criminal proceedings against the Congress leader in August 2019. However, Gandhi, in his petition before the High Court, had claimed he learnt about it only in July 2021.
The complainant had alleged that due to Gandhi's defamatory statements, Modi was allegedly trolled by various news channels and social media platforms.
Four days later, Gandhi purportedly commented on a video and posted it on his personal Twitter account, saying "The sad truth about India's commander-in-thief", he said in his complaint.
