The legal tangle increased for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as a court in Gujarat’s Surat district on March 23 ‘convicted’ Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case for his alleged remark “why all thieves share the Modi surname” made during a political campaign in Karol in April 2019. The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma sentenced him to two years in jail.
He has, however, received bail for appeal at a higher court, which has to be done in 30 days.
The magistrate also imposed a fine of Rs. 15,000 after finding him guilty.
The complaint had been filed by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi under IPC Sections 499 (defamation: Whoever by words either spoken or intended to be read, or by signs or by visible representations, makes or publishes any imputation concerning any person intending to harm, or knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm, the reputation of such person, is said, except in the cases hereinafter excepted, to defame that person.) and 500 (punishment for defamation: Whoever defames another shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.) against Rahul Gandhi for his alleged remarks stating that it has defamed all people with the ‘Modi’ surname while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The remarks had been video graphed by the video surveillance team and video viewing team duly notified by the office of Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer, Kollar District. The Gujarat High Court had vacated the stay on trial in the criminal defamation case in February this year.
Rahul Gandhi remained present in the court when the court pronounced its verdict. On earlier three occasions too, he was present before the Court.
