The Karnataka High Court has set aside criminal defamation proceedings initiated against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, holding that allowing the case to continue would amount to an abuse of the process of law.
The case stemmed from campaign material circulated during the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, in which the Congress party had referred to allegations of a “40 per cent commission” under the then BJP-led State government. A complaint was subsequently filed by members of the Bharatiya Janata Party, claiming that the statements were defamatory.
Gandhi approached the High Court seeking quashing of the proceedings. After examining the material on record, the Court concluded that the essential ingredients required to sustain a criminal defamation charge were not adequately made out. It observed that continuing the prosecution in such circumstances would serve no legitimate legal purpose and would instead constitute a misuse of the judicial process.
In its ruling, the Court emphasised that criminal law cannot be permitted to operate as a tool for harassment where the foundational requirements of an offence are absent. Consequently, the proceedings against Gandhi were quashed, bringing the matter to a close at the High Court level.
The decision reinforces the principle that courts retain inherent powers to intervene where litigation appears vexatious or legally untenable, ensuring that judicial mechanisms are not deployed for purposes beyond their intended scope.
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