Overview

• A Lucknow bench led by Justice Subhash Vidyarthi refused to quash the trial court’s summons and will issue a detailed order on June 2.
• Rahul Gandhi must appear as an accused in the lower court to defend against defamation charges.
• The complaint by Uday Shankar Srivastava alleges Gandhi said “no one questions the beating of Indian soldiers by Chinese soldiers,” hurting army sentiments.
• State lawyers argued the petition was not maintainable in the high court because Gandhi had an alternative remedy before the sessions court.
• Gandhi’s counsel Pranshu Agarwal maintained the allegations appeared fabricated and that the lower court should have probed their veracity before summoning him.