Rahul defamation case: Surat court will pronounce verdict on April 20

Surat (IANS) | A sessions court in Surat, which is hearing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s appeal to stay his conviction in a criminal defamation case, has reserved its verdict. The verdict will now be pronounced on April 20. Rahul Gandhi’s lawyer has argued in the court that the loss of his Parliament membership after being convicted in a criminal defamation case over the Modi surname is a major loss.

Senior advocate RS Cheema, representing Rahul Gandhi, claimed that the conviction on the basis of a ‘fictitious’ defamation was unfair, as only an aggrieved person can file a complaint.

Cheema also pointed to the geographical jurisdiction of complainant Surat West BJP MLA Purnesh Modi, saying the speech was delivered in Kolar (Karnataka) and the complainant received a message on his WhatsApp in Surat.

The senior advocate claimed that the trial court was misled, due to which Rahul Gandhi was convicted and sentenced to two years, which has been suspended till his appeal is decided by the courts.

Meanwhile, Purnesh Modi has responded to Rahul Gandhi’s plea to stay his conviction, calling it a ‘dirty display of childish arrogance’. After hearing the arguments, Judge Robin Mogera reserved judgment in the matter. The order will now be pronounced on April 20.

On March 25, Rahul Gandhi was suspended from the Lok Sabha after being convicted in a criminal defamation case. His constituency in Wayanad, Kerala was also declared vacant by the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

On March 24, a Surat court found Rahul Gandhi guilty and sentenced him to two years in jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surname. However, the Congress leader was granted bail and his sentence was suspended for 30 days to allow him to appeal against the Surat court verdict.

–IANS