The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned the procedure followed by the Bhiwandi Magistrate in the defamation case filed against Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi for his comments against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The police have no authority to inquire into a private criminal defamation complaint, the top court said, PTI reported.

While hearing Gandhi's plea, which sought that the defamation complaint against him be quashed, the apex court said the trial court undermined the judicial process by asking the Maharashtra Police to investigate the complaint, The Hindu reported. It observed that the magistrate "abdicated" his duty by not carrying out the inquiry himself. The hearing was deferred to August 23.

RSS activist Rajesh Kunte had sued Gandhi for accusing the organisation of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination, during his national campaign before the Lok Sabha elections in 2014. The top court had earlier warned the Congress leader against making such "collective denunciations" and that he may have to face trial.