Overview
- A Nashik court granted bail to Rahul Gandhi on July 24 after he pleaded not guilty to defamation charges over his 2022 Savarkar remarks.
- The Supreme Court on July 25 extended its interim stay on the Uttar Pradesh defamation trial, pausing all proceedings against him.
- The Uttar Pradesh government has filed an affidavit accusing Gandhi of deliberately spreading hatred and urged the court to dismiss his petition.
- A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih warned Gandhi against any further derogatory statements about freedom fighters.
- Both the Nashik and UP cases invoke IPC provisions on defamation, hate speech and public mischief, highlighting the tension between political expression and protection of revered historical figures.