Big setback for Rahul Gandhi in 'Modi surname' defamation case

A Surat court on Thursday rejected the application filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seeking stay on his conviction in the 2019 defamation case on 'Modi surname' remark. Rahul Gandhi was convicted in a 2019 criminal defamation case on March 23, leading to the senior Congress leader's disqualification as member of the Lok Sabha.

The court of additional sessions judge R P Mogera rejected Gandhi's application for relief pending his appeal against a lower court's order. Gandhi had been sentenced to two years imprisonment in the case over a remark made in 2019. 

The former Congress president had approached the sessions court on April 3 to appeal against the lower court's order. A stay by the sessions court on the conviction could have paved the way for Gandhi to be reinstated as Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad. 

A lower court had convicted Rahul Gandhi in the criminal defamation case and sentenced him to two years in jail over the remark: "How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?". The comment was made by Gandhi during a poll rally at Kolar in Karnataka on April 13, 2019.

(Inputs from PTI)