Rahul Gandhi Granted Bail by Lucknow Court in 2022 Army Defamation Case

Lucknow: Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was granted bail by a Lucknow court on Tuesday in connection with a 2022 defamation case related to alleged remarks made against Indian soldiers during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Gandhi appeared before the court in person and was granted bail on a personal bond of ₹20,000, along with two sureties, according to his legal counsel. The court had earlier summoned him after taking cognisance of a defamation complaint filed by Uday Shankar Srivastava, a retired director from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).

The complaint centers on a public statement Gandhi made on December 16, 2022, where he allegedly referred to the December 9, 2022 clash between Indian and Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh. During his address, Gandhi reportedly questioned why no one was raising concerns over Indian soldiers being “thrashed” by Chinese forces, a remark the complainant claims was defamatory and emotionally distressing.

Gandhi’s bail was granted following brief proceedings, which included formalities completed in the judge’s chamber. The Congress leader, also an MP from Rae Bareli, is expected to return to his parliamentary constituency in the coming days after traveling back to Delhi the same day.

The case had previously reached the High Court, where Gandhi sought relief but was unable to secure any protection from legal proceedings. The special court had issued summons on February 11 under defamation charges.