Surat court dismisses Rahul Gandhi's plea for stay on conviction in defamation case

Surat Sessions Court has dismissed Rahul Gandhi's plea, seeking stay on conviction in Modi surname defamation case. In his plea, Rahul has sought suspension of two years punishment imposed on him for his controversial remark - "All thieves have Modi surname".

Gandhi was convicted by a Magistrate court in Surat on March 23 for his comment which he had made at an election rally in Kolar in 2019.

Additional Sessions Judge Robin Mogera refused to stay the conviction. This would mean that Gandhi would continue to stand disqualified from Lok Sabha, reported the Bar and Bench.

Before conviction, Gandhi was the MP representing Kerala's Wayanad constituency.

Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications, Jairam Ramesh has tweeted, "We will continue to avail all options still available to us under the law. @DrAMSinghvi will brief the media on Rahul Gandhi's appeal at 4pm."

Gandhi had on April 3 approached the sessions court for appeal against the lower court's order.

A stay on conviction by the sessions court could have paved the way for Gandhi's reinstatement as the Member of Parliament.

Gandhi approached the sessions court for appeal after the lower court sentenced him to two years in jail while convicting him for criminal defamation over his remark, "How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?" made during an election rally at Kolar in Karnataka on April 13, 2019.

His lawyers had filed two applications, one for a stay on the sentence (or bail till the disposal of his appeal) and another for stay on conviction till the disposal of his appeal. .

The 52-year-old politician was elected to the Lok Sabha from Wayanad in Kerala in 2019, but was disqualified a day after the lower court sentenced him to two years in jail in the case filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Purnesh Modi under sections 499 and 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code.

While granting bail to Gandhi, the court had issued notices to complainant MLA Modi and the state government on the Congress leader's plea for a stay on conviction.

The sessions court will continue its hearing on Gandhi's main plea against the lower court's order.

With PTI input