Modi surname defamation case: Gujarat High Court on Tuesday reserved orders on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's plea seeking a stay on conviction in 2019 'Modi surname' defamation case. Justice Hemant Prachchhak will pronounce the verdict after vacations. However, the Court refused to grant any interim relief to Rahul Gandhi until then.
Earlier on March 23, a metropolitan magistrate's court in Surat sentenced the formed Congress president to two years in jail after convicting him under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 499 and 500 (criminal defamation) in a 2019 case filed by Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Gujarat MLA Purnesh Modi.
Following the verdict, under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, Gandhi, elected to the Lok Sabha from Wayanad in Kerala in 2019 was disqualified as an MP.
Court earlier refused to stay his conviction
Gandhi, 52, then challenged the order in the Surat sessions court along with seeking a stay to the conviction. While granting him bail, the court on April 20 refused to stay the conviction.
The criminal defamation case against Rahul Gandhi was filed by Purnesh Modi over his 'How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?' remark made during an election rally at Kolar in Karnataka on April 13, 2019.
Earlier on April 29, 2023, Gujarat High Court adjourned the hearing to May 2 after Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Rahul Gandhi, made lengthy arguments today before the court. He sought time to certain documents on record, after which the court allowed it and adjourned the hearing to May 2.
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