Rahul Gandhi cleared in 2018 defamation case as UP police form team to probe convoy crash

UPDATE - follow-up to Rahul Gandhi's convoy involved in collision on Purvanchal Expressway; Congress leader safe: Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was cleared in a 2018 defamation case by a special MP-MLA court in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on Monday, October 26, 2026. Judge Shubham Verma dismissed the lawsuit, which stemmed from remarks made against Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections. According to lawyer Kashi Prasad Shukla, the Congress leader was officially acquitted after appearing in court under tight security. Complainant Vijay Mishra, a former vice-president of the BJP's Sultanpur unit, stated that the court examined three witnesses for his side while none appeared for the defense. Mishra's lawyer, Santosh Pandey, noted that although the court accepted the audio CD recording as genuine, it ruled that the complainant was not an affected party and that the remarks did not legally constitute defamation. Mishra indicated he might file a revision petition after studying the full judgment.

Investigation

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Police formed a Special Investigation Team to examine a minor multi-vehicle collision involving the convoy trailing the Congress leader on the Purvanchal Expressway earlier that morning. Police confirmed that Rahul Gandhi remained completely safe and suffered no major injuries. The crash occurred around 10:15 a.m. when a private car at the front, belonging to local party members, braked suddenly, leading trailing vehicles to bump into each other. The SIT will look into potential security lapses, traffic management issues, and overall traffic handling during the trip.

Context

Defamation cases involving prominent political figures often turn on complex legal definitions regarding who holds the legal right to file a complaint on behalf of a third party. The formation of a police SIT for a minor traffic incident during a high-profile political visit reflects the heightened security protocols required for top national opposition leaders in India.