NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday quashed a criminal complaint and summons issued against Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over certain remarks he made against Hindutva idealogue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
Gandhi had described Savarkar as a collaborator with the British and further stated that Savarkar received pension from the British. After a criminal complaint was filed against him, a magistrate in Uttar Pradesh had issued a summons to Gandhi.
Gandhi eventually moved the Supreme Court seeking the quashing of this summons.
A Bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu today allowed his plea after noting that the criminal proceedings lacked a particular sanction required under the law to prosecute Gandhi in this case.
“We have heard learned counsel for parties. In affidavit filed by respondent State of UP, there is no disclosure of sanction having been granted. In such view of matter, orders passsed by Magistrate shall be quashed,” the Court said.
