After a decade‑long legal saga, the special MP‑MLA court in Sultanpur ruled that the 2018 complaint had no basis.
The case, lodged by former district cooperative bank chairman Vijay Mishra on Aug 4, 2018, accused Gandhi of mocking Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the Karnataka assembly campaign.
Gandhi was summoned in November 2023; after missing the first hearing a warrant was issued. He appeared in February, secured bail, and recorded a statement in July that he deemed politically motivated.
A parallel petition sought Gandhi’s voice sample to compare with an audio clip, but the trial court rejected it and higher courts dismissed the appeal.
The dismissal clears Gandhi of the defamation charge and ends a dispute that had echoed through party politics. The ruling could ease the way for the Congress to refocus on electoral strategy ahead of the next general elections.