Rahul Gandhi files regret application in defamation battle with Shivraj Chouhan’s son

The defense argues the Leader of the Opposition's speech was misconstrued as legal scrutiny shifts to the High Court

June 25, 2026

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has approached the High Court seeking to quash a defamation summons issued by a Bhopal court

The Congress leader claims his 2018 election rally remarks were not directed at Kartikeya Singh Chouhan

Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has moved the Madhya Pradesh High Court seeking to quash a defamation case filed against him by Kartikeya Singh Chouhan, son of Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. In an application submitted on Wednesday, Gandhi expressed regret for the defamatory statements, clarifying that his remarks were never intended to target Kartikeya.

The Origin of the Dispute

The legal dispute traces back to the 2018 assembly election campaign in Madhya Pradesh. During a public rally in Jhabua, Gandhi made a speech referencing the global Panama Papers leak scandal. Kartikeya Chouhan subsequently lodged a criminal defamation complaint in a special Bhopal court designated for cases against MPs and MLAs, alleging that Gandhi had explicitly named him in connection with the scandal, thereby severely damaging his public reputation.

High Court Intervention

After the special Bhopal court issued a personal appearance summons to the Congress leader, Gandhi challenged the order by approaching the High Court. His legal counsel argued that the context of the speech was misconstrued and had no relation to the complainant.

On Wednesday, Gandhi’s legal team complied with previous directives from the High Court by producing the lower court’s official records. Advocate Sankalp Kochhar appeared before the bench representing the complainant, Kartikeya Chouhan.

Justice Pramod Kumar Agarwal is scheduled to hear Gandhi’s petition to quash both the summons and the overarching defamation proceedings on Thursday.

Key Takeaways

The Core Action: Rahul Gandhi has formally expressed regret in the MP High Court regarding a 2018 campaign speech.
The Legal Defense: Gandhi’s counsel maintains that the reference to the Panama Papers leak was not directed at Kartikeya Singh Chouhan.
The Goal: The petition aims to quash the personal appearance summons issued by a special MP-MLA court in Bhopal.

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