RahuI Gandhi moves Jharkhand HC against Chaibasa Court’s non-bailable warrant

THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK

Ranchi, June 2: Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi has approached the Jharkhand High Court, challenging a non-bailable warrant issued against him by the MP-MLA Special Court of Chaibasa. In his petition, Gandhi has requested the court to quash the warrant.

On May 22, 2025, the Chaibasa court issued the non-bailable warrant, directing Gandhi to appear in person before the court on June 26. Earlier, his counsel had filed an application under Section 205 of the CrPC seeking exemption from personal appearance, but the court rejected the plea and insisted on his presence. Following this, Gandhi has now moved the High Court against the lower court’s order.

Background of the Case

The case dates back to 2018. On March 28 that year, during the All India Congress Committee’s plenary session, Rahul Gandhi had reportedly made sharp remarks against the BJP, allegedly calling its leaders “murderers” and “liars” in his speech.

Reacting to this, BJP leader Pratap Kumar filed a defamation suit against Gandhi in the Chaibasa CJM Court on July 9, 2018.

After initial hearings and testimonies, the case was transferred to the Special MP-MLA Court in Ranchi in February 2020 on the orders of the Jharkhand High Court. It was later sent back to the MP-MLA Special Court in Chaibasa as per another order of the High Court.

Legal Proceedings and Past Appeals

The Chaibasa court took cognizance of the case and issued a summons to Gandhi, but he failed to appear. The court then issued a bailable warrant. After his continued absence, a non-bailable warrant was issued.

Gandhi had earlier approached the High Court against the warrant, but on March 20, 2024, the petition was disposed of. Subsequently, he applied in the Chaibasa court under CrPC Section 205 for exemption from personal appearance, but this too was rejected.

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He then filed another petition in the High Court against this rejection, but later withdrew it on March 10, 2025, stating that he would file a criminal miscellaneous petition instead.

As a result, the High Court lifted its interim stay order on April 25, 2024. Thereafter, on May 22, 2025, the Chaibasa court once again issued a non-bailable warrant against Rahul Gandhi. He has now challenged this fresh order by filing another petition in the Jharkhand High Court.