India, Dec. 4 -- A special MP-MLA court in Pune has barred Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi from making any public or procedural comments on a summons order issued against him in a defamation case, as he has not challenged it.

In an order passed on Tuesday, a copy of which was made available on Wednesday, Judge Amol Shinde observed:

"If the accused (Rahul Gandhi) has any grievance against the summoning order, he is at liberty to challenge it before the appropriate forum. However, till it is challenged and set aside, he cannot be permitted to cast aspersions on an order that has attained finality due to non-challenge."

The order further stated that "either the accused has to accept the order or challenge i...