Modi Surname: Gujarat High Court Dismisses Rahul Gandhi’s Plea to Suspend his Conviction in Defamation Case

NEW DELHI: The Gujarat High Court confirmed the Sessions Court's decision to refuse Rahul Gandhi a stay of execution following his conviction in the defamation case involving the comment, "Modi surname," on Friday. Gandhi won't be permitted to run for election or request that the suspension of his standing as a Member of Parliament (MP) be lifted. He may challenge the High Court's ruling before the Supreme Court.

According to the Gujarat High Court, there is no need to interfere with the Trial Court's conviction ruling because it is valid. Consequently, the application is denied.

The Court further noted that Rahul Gandhi is the subject of at least 10 active criminal prosecutions.

Rahul Gandhi received bail on April 3 from the Surat Sessions Court after he had appealed his conviction in the case. Notably, Gandhi's disqualification can be overturned if the court stays his conviction.

Rahul Gandhi has already been denied interim protection in the lawsuit by the court. Justice Hemant Prachchhak had stated that he would reserve his decision and issue the ruling in June, following the end of the school year.

Rahul Gandhi went to the Surat sessions court to request a stay of his conviction, but on April 20, his request was denied. The court emphasized that Rahul Gandhi should have been more cautious because he was a former head of the nation's second-largest political party and an MP.

Rahul Gandhi appealed the Surat Sessions Court's ruling to the Supreme Court on April 25.

Rahul Gandhi was convicted to two years in prison by a Surat metropolitan magistrate's court in the 2019 case over his "why all thieves have Modi surname" comment, and as a result, was disqualified from serving in the Lok Sabha in March. The Surat Sessions Court later turned down a request to halt the conviction in this case.

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