Supreme Court extends stay against proceedings for defamatory remarks by Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday extended till December 4 its interim order staying proceedings against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a case related to his alleged derogatory remarks against the Indian Army during his 2022 Bharat Jodo Yatra.

A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma deferred the hearing after having noted there was a letter circulated for adjournment.

Rahul Gandhi challenged a May 29 order of the Allahabad High Court dismissing his plea against the trial court's summoning order in the case.

While hearing Gandhi's plea on August 4, the top court stayed till the next date of hearing further proceedings in the case pending before a court in Lucknow.

"How do you get to know that 2,000 sq km of Indian territory has been occupied by the Chinese? Were you there? Do you have any credible material," the bench had earlier asked Gandhi about his alleged remarks.

"Why do you make these statements without having any material? If you are a true Indian, you won't say such a thing," it added.

The top court had then issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the complainant in the case seeking their responses on Gandhi's plea.