THE Bombay High Court on Wednesday extended till September 26 the interim relief granted to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from appearance before a local court here in a defamation complaint pertaining to his alleged remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018. The complainant, who claims to be a BJP worker, had alleged that Gandhi’s “commander-in-thief” remark in the context of the Rafale fighter jet deal amounted to defamation. A single bench of Justice S V Kotwal adjourned the hearing till September 26 on the plea filed by Gandhi challenging the summons issued to him by the local court in 2021.

 

“The interim relief granted earlier will continue till then,” Justice Kotwal said. Gandhi’s plea was adjourned after the complainant’s lawyer sought time. Rahul Gandhi was directed by the local court to appear before it in a defamation complaint filed by Mahesh Shrishrimal. The defamation complaint against the Congress leader had been filed for Gandhi’s “commander-in-thief” remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018 over the Rafale fighter jet deal.