M.P. High Court closes defamation case against Rahul Gandhi

The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Thursday (June 25, 2026) closed defamation proceedings against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, a day after he expressed regret over his statement allegedly against Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s son Kartikeya Singh Chouhan. 

A single Bench of Justice Pramod Kumar Agrawal in Jabalpur delivered its judgement on a petition from Mr. Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, who had sought relief in a defamation case lodged against him by Mr. Kartikeya in an MP/MLA court in Bhopal. Mr. Shivraj Singh was the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh when the statement was made in 2018.

Earlier on Wednesday (June 24, 2026), Mr. Gandhi filed a written statement before the High Court expressing regret over the statement made during an Assembly election rally in Jhabua district in October, 2018, and said he had “erroneously” named Mr. Kartikeya while making a reference to Panama Papers.

“Upon discovering that respondent’s name erroneously appeared in the said statement, on the very next day — i.e. on October 30, 2018 — the applicant [Mr. Gandhi] clarified in public that who he had intended to refer to was the son of the former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh as having been named in the widely reported Panama Papers controversy and not the respondent [Mr. Kartikeya] or his father, the then Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. The applicant, thus, express his regret,” Mr. Gandhi said in his statement. 

Mr. Kartikeya had approached an MP/MLA court in Bhopal which had in December, 2024, issued summons to Mr. Gandhi for personal appearance. 

The High Court noted that Mr. Kartikeya has accepted Mr. Gandhi’s regret.

“Senior Counsel for the applicant submits that applicant has expressed his regret which has been accepted on behalf of the respondent in written reply and respondent is also agreed if the proceedings be closed before this court as well as trial court,” the High Court order read.

“Considering the statement of applicant and the reply filed to the aforesaid I.A. [Interim Application] as well as arguments advanced by learned counsel for both the sides wherein regret has been expressed by applicant, the proceedings before this court are closed and proceedings pending before the JMFC, Special Judge (MP & MLA) Bhopal shall also stand closed,” the order said.