New Delhi. Today, the special MP/MLA court of Sultanpur has given a big relief to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. The court has acquitted Rahul Gandhi in the defamation case related to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Rahul Gandhi was accused of making derogatory remarks against the then BJP national president Amit Shah in a press conference in Bengaluru during the Karnataka Assembly election campaign in 2018. This defamation case was filed against Rahul Gandhi on behalf of BJP leader Vijay Mishra. The court today dismissed the case, acquitting Rahul Gandhi of all charges.
Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh: Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi leaves the court after a special MP-MLA court acquits him in a defamation case over his 2018 remarks about Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
— IANS (@ians_india) October 26, 2026
The court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Shubham Verma said in its decision that the statement of the Congress MP cannot be considered defamatory. Rahul Gandhi was personally present in the court during the verdict. The court had summoned Rahul Gandhi to face the trial on November 27, 2023. After this Rahul appeared in the court and was granted bail. The statements of the Congress MP were recorded on 26 July 2024. The proceedings of the case continued and in February 2025 and December 2025, the testimony of complainant Vijay Mishra's witnesses Anil Mishra and Ramchandra Dubey was recorded.
VIDEO | Uttar Pradesh: Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi leaves the Special MP-MLA Court in Sultanpur following the court's dismissal of the defamation case relating to his 2018 remarks against Amit Shah. (Full video available on PTI Videos –
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 26, 2026
After this, on March 12, 2026, complainant Vijay Mishra had applied in the court to get the voice sample of Rahul Gandhi matched, however, his application was rejected. After this, Vijay Mishra challenged the order of the Magistrate Court in May 2026 in the Sessions Court, here also his application was rejected in July 2026. After this, the order of the Sessions Court was challenged by filing a petition in the High Court in September, Justice Subhash Vidyarthi had rejected this petition. The hearing of the case in the special MP/MLA case was completed on 12th October and the verdict was announced today.