SC to Rahul Gandhi Defamation Complainant: 'Everyone's Equal Before Us'
SC to Rahul Gandhi Defamation Complainant: 'Everyone's Equal Before Us'
Supreme Court responds to 'VVIP treatment' claim in Rahul Gandhi's defamation case. SC bench affirms equality before law, instructs complainant on procedure for early hearing. Get the latest on this high-profile legal ba
The Supreme Court on Wednesday firmly stated that "everyone is equal" before it, urging the complainant in a criminal defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to follow the prescribed procedure for an early hearing. This observation came after the complainant's lawyer alleged that the court registry was treating the former Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition as a "VVIP".
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana addressed the matter. Senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia, representing former Border Roads Organisation director Uday Shankar Srivastava, expressed concerns that Gandhi's appeal had not been listed despite an earlier judicial direction to hear it. Bhatia emphasized, “He is not a VVIP.
The matter was listed five months ago also and was not taken up.
This does not augur well for the institution as well,” referring to a December 2025 order that directed the matter to be listed on April 22. Gandhi, on his part, has maintained that he is exercising his right to free speech and aims to bring public attention to critical issues.
However, the bench instructed Bhatia to move an application for an early hearing, reiterating the court's commitment to procedural fairness. “Let us follow the procedure. File an application seeking early hearing…Everyone is equal before us. Please file an application for early hearing.
We will take it up,” the bench stated. This exchange is part of Gandhi's appeal against an Allahabad High Court order that refused to quash the criminal defamation proceedings. The case stems from remarks Gandhi made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in December 2022 concerning a clash between Indian and Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh.
He had questioned the basis of claims that Chinese troops captured 2,000 sq km of Indian territory.
The case had previously been before a bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih, which on August 4, 2025, stayed further proceedings.
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