The MP/MLA court in Sultanpur district on Monday (October 26, 2026) acquitted the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in 2018 defamation case over remarks against Union Home Minister and then BJP president Amit Shah.

“A defamation lawsuit related to a remark made in Bengaluru during the 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections. Judge Shubham Verma of the special MP-MLA court in Sultanpur dismissed the case, granting relief to Rahul Gandhi,” said Kunwar Singh Nishad, Chairman, Media Department, Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee.

Mr. Gandhi appeared before the court in 2023 and secured bail. The court had earlier fixed October 13 for pronouncing its verdict, which was subsequently scheduled for October 26.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Gandhi arrived at Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport this morning. Hundreds of Congress workers and local party leaders gathered at the airport to welcome the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Raebareli MP.

Mr. Gandhi did not speak to reporters before leaving for Sultanpur.

While the Congress leader was heading to Sultanpur, his convoy collided on the Purvanchal Expressway on Monday (October 26, 2026) while he was on his way to Sultanpur for a court hearing in a defamation case against him, a police officer said.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha was safe, the officer said, adding the incident was not serious and no major injuries were reported.

The incident occurred around 10.15 a.m. when a private vehicle at the front of the convoy, belonging to local Congress leaders, suddenly applied the brakes for an unspecified reason, causing vehicles behind it to collide with one another, the officer said.

UP Police constitutes SIT to probe accident involving vehicles

The Uttar Pradesh Police constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the accident involving vehicles trailing the convoy of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during his visit to Sultanpur.

The investigation will examine the circumstances and causes of the accident and determine whether there was any negligence or lapse in security, escort arrangements or traffic management, a statement said.

(With PTI inputs)