After Conviction In Criminal Defamation Case, Rahul Gandhi To File Appeal In Surat Sessions Court Today

Around 11 days after his conviction and two-year sentence in a defamation case over his 'all thieves have Modi surname' remark, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday (3 April) will file an appeal for stay on his conviction in the case.

The Congress leader was convicted and sentenced to two years in jail in the case on Thursday (23 March) but was later granted bail by the court.

The case was filed against Gandhi for his "How come all thieves have Modi surname?” remarks on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi. 

Rahul Gandhi made the remarks while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Gandhi's lawyer reportedly plans to approach the Surat sessions court, with the Congress anticipating that the court will take up the matter on Monday itself.

Gandhi is expected to appear in court on Monday, accompanied by several senior Congress leaders including K C Venugopal, Ashok Gehlot, Digvijaya Singh, and Anand Sharma.

Chattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu may also accompany him, IE reported citing sources.

The appeal seeking a stay on conviction will be “supervised, controlled and advised” by Congress' Rajya Sabha MP and senior lawyer Abhishek Singhvi and filed by senior lawyer R S Cheema.

The appeal is in response to the March 23 order from Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Verma, which found Gandhi guilty in the 2019 defamation case over his remarks.

“We are going to file the appeal on Monday at the Surat Sessions court against the lower CJM court verdict in a defamation case against Rahul Gandhi. Gandhi will be present in the court and the legal team of Congress party from Delhi too will be present," Kirit Panwala, the lawyer of Rahul Gandhi in Gujarat, was quoted in the IE report as saying.