Supreme Court stays conviction of Rahul Gandhi in defamation case over ‘Modi Surname’ remark

New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India today has stayed the conviction of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the criminal defamation case relating to his ‘Modi surname’ remark.

While granting interim relief to the congress leader, the apex court noted that There is no doubt that the utterances are not in good taste. A person in public life is expected to exercise caution while making public speeches. It further emphasized that Mr. Gandhi should have been more careful in his choice of words.

Granting relief to the Congress leader, the court acknowledged that the ramifications of the trial court’s order were far-reaching. The conviction not only affected Rahul Gandhi’s right to continue in public life but also that of the electorate who elected him.

The Supreme Court expressed concern over the lack of reasons provided by the trial court judge for imposing the maximum sentence. In light of this, the court has ordered that the conviction be stayed pending final adjudication.

Earlier in March this year, a Sessions court in Surat sentenced Rahul Gandhi to two years in a defamation case under IPC sections 499 and 500. The case was filed by Purnesh Modi, a former Gujarat minister, against Gandhi for his remark, ‘How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?’ made during an election rally in Kolar, Karnataka, on April 13, 2019. DeshGujarat