Gujarat’s Surat Sessions Court has granted bail to senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rahul Gandhi had been sentenced to two years imprisonment for making derogatory comments about Modi during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. However, the court suspended the sentence and granted bail pending an appeal. BJP MLA Purnesh Modi had filed the defamation case against Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of making derogatory remarks about the Modi family. The court ordered Purnesh Modi to respond to Rahul’s petitions by April 10 and set a hearing for April 13. If Rahul’s conviction is cancelled, his disqualification from office will also be cancelled. The hearing will determine the status of the case. Rahul, who arrived in Surat along with his sister Priyanka Gandhi, tweeted that he is “fighting to protect India’s democracy” and will continue to do so. Union Law Minister Kiran Rijiju condemned the Congress for “pressuring and threatening the justice department” and valuing a particular family more than the country. Heavy security was deployed in Surat city and the court complex to prevent any untoward incident.
Surat: Gujarat’s Surat Sessions Court yesterday granted bail to senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
provided by It also suspended the 2-year prison sentence imposed on him.
During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi, speaking at a campaign meeting held in Kolar, Karnataka, said, “Why all
Thieves also have the surname Modi. Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi why all thieves’ names end with Modi?” he criticized.
In this regard, Surat West BJP MLA Purnesh Modi filed a criminal defamation case against Rahul Gandhi in Surat Chief Judicial Magistrate Court. Surat Chief Judicial Magistrate H.H. Sharma sentenced Rahul Gandhi to 2 years imprisonment in the defamation case on March 23 while this case was under investigation for the last 4 years.
Rahul Gandhi was sentenced to jail under Sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code. However, Rahul Gandhi was immediately granted bail and the sentence suspended for 30 days pending an appeal.
In this case, Rahul Gandhi MP was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment in a criminal case. The Lok Sabha Secretariat announced that he was disqualified from office. Rahul Gandhi appealed against the two-year jail sentence in the Surat Sessions Court yesterday. Rahul Gandhi filed a petition seeking quashing of his conviction and another seeking quashing of his conviction.
Accepting these two pleas, the judge granted bail to Rahul Gandhi. He also suspended the 2-year prison sentence imposed on him. The judge ordered Burnesh Modi to respond to these petitions by the 10th.
The judge also announced that the hearing on the plea seeking cancellation of the conviction will be held on the 13th. If an interim stay is imposed on Rahul’s conviction, his MP Disqualification will be cancelled.
Rahul Gandhi’s lawyer Rogan Bhanwala says, “The Gujarat court has granted bail to Rahul Gandhi. Punishment is also suspended. “Rahul has been exempted from appearing in person during the hearing on April 13,” he said.
Prosecutor Ketan Reshamwala says, “The court has ordered the petitioner Purnesh Modi to respond by April 10 regarding Rahul Gandhi’s petitions. We will present our arguments on the 13th. In particular, we will argue that the sentence against Rahul Gandhi should not be quashed. On that day, the true status of the case will be known,” he said.
Volunteers gathered: Earlier, Rahul arrived in Surat by flight from Delhi. His younger sister Priyanka Gandhi also came along. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Khelat and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Bagel welcomed Rahul at the Surat airport.
More than 500 Congress workers gathered in the Surat court complex. The police removed them. Heavy security was kept in the court complex and across Surat city.
In a tweet posted by Rahul Gandhi, he said, “Fighting to protect India’s democracy. Truth is my weapon in this struggle. Truth is my helper. I will continue to raise my voice for India. I am ready to pay any price for this,” he said.
Union Law Minister Kiran Rijiju said in Delhi yesterday, “Congress is playing drama by pressuring and threatening the justice department. I strongly condemn this. For the Congress, they value a particular family more than the country,” he said.