Court to Decide on Case Against Rahul Gandhi for Derogatory Remarks Against PM Modi on June 7

New Delhi: A Delhi court will pronounce on June 7 its order on a complaint seeking that an FIR be lodged under the sedition charge against Congress President Rahul Gandhi for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal reserved the order after hearing arguments from the complainant.

The court was hearing the complaint filed by an advocate, who has sought direction to the police to register an FIR against Gandhi for allegedly making derogatory remarks in 2016 against PM Modi, accusing him of hiding behind the blood of soldiers and cashing in on their sacrifice.

In his complaint, advocate Joginder Tuli said, "The statement of the accused amounts to dissatisfaction amongst army and paramilitary forces and compelling them to think that the Prime Minister and the government is encashing on their sacrifice and using such sacrifices for political gain."

The Delhi Police had on May 15 filed an action taken report before the court in which the police had said that no "cognisable offence" was made out against Gandhi.

It had told the court that Gandhi allegedly made the defamatory statement against the prime minister for which a suit may be filed.

Tuli said he had filed a complaint in October 2016 but the police did not take any action.

The complaint referred to the Congress leader's speech delivered at a public meeting here where he had said Modi was hiding behind the blood of soldiers and exploiting their sacrifices.

On October 6, 2016, Rahul, while addressing the meeting after completion of his 'Kisan Yatra' in Uttar Pradesh, had said: "You (Modi) are hiding behind the blood of soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir and those who carried out the surgical strikes for India. You are exploiting their sacrifices, which is very wrong."

The plea before the trial court said the words used in Rahul's speech amounted to shaming democratic country like India and if democracy has to survive, there should be some restrictions on the people talking against the country.

It sought directions to the Delhi police to register the FIR under section 124A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) or other sections of the law.