Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has approached a sessions court in Surat to challenge his conviction and two-year sentence in a criminal defamation case brought against him for defaming the 'Modi' community..The sessions court on Monday extended the bail granted to Gandhi by the magistrate court in the case to April 13, when it will likely hear his appeal..The now disqualified parliamentarian from Wayanad, Kerala was convicted by a magistrate court on March 23 for his controversial remark "All thieves have Modi surname."Gandhi had, in a political campaign in 2019 in Kolar, Karnataka, linked Prime Minister Narendra Modi with fugitives like Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi.He had said, "Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi. How come all the thieves have 'Modi' as a common surname?"Purnesh Modi, a former BJP Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), took exception to the said speech claiming that Gandhi humiliated and defamed persons with the Modi surname..Gujarat court sentences Rahul Gandhi to 2 years imprisonment in criminal defamation case for "all thieves have Modi surname" remark.The magistrate court in Surat accepted the contention of Modi that by his speech, Gandhi has intentionally insulted the people with a 'Modi' surname.In his 168-page judgment, Judge Hadirash Varma said that since Gandhi is a Member of Parliament (MP), whatever he says will have a greater impact. Thus, he should have exercised restraint."The accused had taken the reference of the surname of the current Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, to satisfy his political greed and insulted and defamed 13 crore people living in the whole of India having the surname 'Modi'" the judge held.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has approached a sessions court in Surat to challenge his conviction and two-year sentence in a criminal defamation case brought against him for defaming the 'Modi' community..The sessions court on Monday extended the bail granted to Gandhi by the magistrate court in the case to April 13, when it will likely hear his appeal..The now disqualified parliamentarian from Wayanad, Kerala was convicted by a magistrate court on March 23 for his controversial remark "All thieves have Modi surname."Gandhi had, in a political campaign in 2019 in Kolar, Karnataka, linked Prime Minister Narendra Modi with fugitives like Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi.He had said, "Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi. How come all the thieves have 'Modi' as a common surname?"Purnesh Modi, a former BJP Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), took exception to the said speech claiming that Gandhi humiliated and defamed persons with the Modi surname..Gujarat court sentences Rahul Gandhi to 2 years imprisonment in criminal defamation case for "all thieves have Modi surname" remark.The magistrate court in Surat accepted the contention of Modi that by his speech, Gandhi has intentionally insulted the people with a 'Modi' surname.In his 168-page judgment, Judge Hadirash Varma said that since Gandhi is a Member of Parliament (MP), whatever he says will have a greater impact. Thus, he should have exercised restraint."The accused had taken the reference of the surname of the current Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, to satisfy his political greed and insulted and defamed 13 crore people living in the whole of India having the surname 'Modi'" the judge held.