06-07-2023 : The Gujarat High Court is set to deliver its verdict on Friday regarding a petition filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, challenging his conviction in a defamation case by a lower court. In March, a Surat court had sentenced Rahul to two years in jail after finding him guilty of making defamatory remarks about the ‘Modi’ surname. The conviction resulted in his disqualification as a Member of Parliament from the Wayanad constituency in Kerala.
Following the verdict, Rahul was granted bail by the Surat court, allowing him to appeal the decision. However, when he approached the sessions court to request a stay on his conviction, it was declined. Subsequently, he filed a petition in the Gujarat High Court to challenge his conviction.
The defamation case was filed against Rahul by Gujarat BJP leader Purnesh Modi, who accused him of defaming the entire Modi community through his remarks. During an election campaign in Karnataka’s Kolar in 2019, Rahul had made a statement questioning why people with the surname Modi were often associated with corruption, saying, “how come all thieves have Modi surname.”
Purnesh Modi, who served as a minister during the first tenure of the Bhupendra Patel government in Gujarat, was re-elected from the Surat West Assembly constituency in the December elections.
In the original trial, the metropolitan magistrate’s court in Surat convicted Rahul under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deal with defamation. He was sentenced to two years in jail.
Meanwhile, in a separate but similar case related to the ‘Modi’ surname, the Jharkhand High Court recently exempted Rahul from personal appearance in a Ranchi court. The court also ordered that no coercive action be taken against him. The Congress leader had challenged an order from the Ranchi MP-MLA court, which had directed him to appear in person for a defamation case.
The Gujarat High Court’s verdict on Rahul Gandhi’s petition will have significant implications for his legal battles and political career. It remains to be seen whether the court will uphold his conviction or overturn it, thereby affecting his disqualification as an MP and his subsequent eligibility for political office. The outcome of the case will be closely watched by both political observers and supporters of Rahul Gandhi.