New Delhi: After the Surat Sessions Court rejected former Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case, he has now moved the Gujarat High Court.
Gandhi’s appeal was filed by advocate Pankaj Champaneri on April 25.
The Surat Sessions Court had previously denied Rahul Gandhi’s request to stay his conviction in the criminal defamation case filed by BJP legislator Purnesh Modi against the Congress leader. He had argued that the Magistrate’s court had treated him harshly.
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On March 23, 2023, Rahul Gandhi was sentenced to two years in jail for his 2019 remark, “How come all the thieves have Modi as their surname?”
However, on April 20, Additional Sessions judge Robin Mogera rejected the argument that Modi’s complaint was not maintainable.
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The court noted in its 27-page order that “Rahul Gandhi failed to demonstrate that by not staying the conviction and denying an opportunity to contest the election, irreversible and irrevocable damage will be caused to him.”
The judge held that Modi is a former Minister of Gujarat and involved in public life, and therefore the defamatory remarks made by Gandhi would have certainly harmed his reputation and caused him pain and agony.