Mumbai, September 8 (Daily Kiran) : The Bombay High Court has dealt a significant blow to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by refusing to dismiss a defamation case linked to his controversial remark, “Chowkidar Chor Hai,” directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The court’s decision came on September 8, 2026, as it addressed Gandhi’s challenge against a summons issued by a magistrate’s court.
In his appeal, Gandhi argued that the complaint was not valid for hearing. He contended that his statement did not specifically name any political party nor target any identifiable group. However, Justice Nitin Borkar, presiding over the single bench, rejected this argument. The court emphasized that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a registered national political party, making it a recognizable entity.
The court noted that the complainant claims to have been an active member of the BJP for two decades. Therefore, the statement labeling the Prime Minister as “Commander-in-Thief” cannot be seen as limited to just the party’s leadership. The court stated that the true intent of Gandhi’s remark and its impact on party members would need to be assessed during the trial.
Gandhi’s lawyer, Sudip Pasbola, maintained that the tweet in question did not mention the BJP or any political party. He argued that no identifiable individual or group was targeted, which should preclude the complainant from pursuing a defamation case.
The Maharashtra government also opposed Gandhi’s petition, with the state’s Advocate General asserting that the court must evaluate whether the essential elements of defamation are present and whether the comment pertains to a specific identifiable group.
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