25-04-2023 : Rahul Gandhi, a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress, has approached the Gujarat High Court to challenge his conviction in a criminal defamation case after the Surat sessions court declined to stay his conviction for his “Modi surname” remark. The plea for stay on conviction was rejected by additional sessions judge R.P. Mogera on April 20, and the sessions court has scheduled May 20 as the date to commence hearing Gandhi’s appeal against the lower court’s order.
The defamation case was filed by BJP MLA Purnesh Modi, and a metropolitan magistrate court in Surat had sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail on March 23 under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code. As a result, Gandhi, who was elected as a Lok Sabha member from Wayanad in Kerala in 2019, was disqualified under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act the following day. The case against Gandhi stems from his remarks made during an election rally in Kolar, Karnataka on April 13, 2019, where he had stated, “How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?”