Bengaluru, 21 Oct

High Court dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on Monday that sought an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for allegedly tarnishing the dignity of Indian women. The petition stemmed from Gandhi's claims during a public speech that former Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of rape and sexual abuse, had "raped 400 women and filmed the act," labelling it as "mass rape" rather than a mere sex scandal.

A bench comprising Chief Justice NV Anjaria and Justice K Aravind found the petition to be without merit, declaring it a waste of judicial time. The court imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the petitioner, the All-India Dalit Action Committee, for filing the plea.

The petitioner’s counsel argued that Gandhi’s remarks were irresponsible and offensive, particularly towards the women of Hassan. He requested the court to issue a notice to Gandhi, compelling him to respond to the allegations. The counsel labelled Gandhi a "serial offender," referencing previous controversial statements he made and citing pending citizenship issues before the Delhi High Court as further evidence of misconduct. The PIL contended that Gandhi's unsubstantiated allegations misled the public and disrespected the modesty of Indian women, particularly considering the new Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) rule, which aims to streamline criminal procedures and reduce trial durations. The petition sought a directive from the court requiring Gandhi to issue a public apology and called for the National Commission for Women to take appropriate action against him. PTI