The Gujarat High Court has upheld the session’s court order, denying a stay on the conviction of Rahul Gandhi, the Congress leader, in the defamation case regarding his remark on the surname “Modi.” Justice Hemant Prachchhak, in dismissing the plea, stated that Gandhi is already facing multiple cases throughout India and deemed the lower court’s conviction as “just, proper, and legal.” The court found no reasonable grounds to grant a stay on the conviction.
The denial of the stay on conviction means that Rahul Gandhi will not be able to contest elections or seek to revoke the suspension of his status as a Member of Parliament (MP). Sources close to Gandhi revealed his intention to appeal the High Court order in the Supreme Court.
In the 2019 case filed by BJP Gujarat MLA Purnesh Modi, a metropolitan magistrate’s court in Surat had sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (criminal defamation). The case stemmed from Gandhi’s remark during an election rally in Kolar, Karnataka, where he questioned the prevalence of the surname “Modi” among thieves.
During the previous hearings, Gandhi’s lawyer argued against the severity of the punishment, highlighting the potential permanent loss of his Lok Sabha seat due to a bailable, non-cognizable offense. The metropolitan magistrate’s court in Surat had convicted Gandhi on March 23, leading to his disqualification as an MP and subsequent challenges in the sessions court and high court.
Ultimately, while granting him bail, the sessions court refused to stay the conviction, prompting Gandhi’s appeal to the high court.
Post Your Comments