Rahul Gandhi Case: Congress Leader To Appeal Against His Conviction In Surat Court Today

Rahul Gandhi is also likely to be present in the court when an appeal will be filed against the lower court’s order sentencing him to two years in jail in the ‘Modi surname’ case, according to Kirit C Panwala, the Congress leader’s counsel.

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is likely to travel to Sural to appeal against his conviction in a criminal defamation case by a trial court here. According to party sources, Rahul Gandhi, along with his sister and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, will leave for Surat in a chartered plane. They are expected to reach Sural around 12.30, said sources. Extending their support to Rahul Gandhi, chief ministers of Congress-ruled states – Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan – will also arrive in Surat today.  

Rahul Gandhi will be present in the court when the plea will be filed against the lower court’s order sentencing him to two years in jail in the ‘Modi surname’ case, according to Kirit C Panwala, the Congress leader’s counsel. Earlier on Sunday, Rahul Gandhi met his mother and former party president Sonia Gandhi ahead of his appearance in a Surat court to appeal against his conviction in the case.

Rahul met Sonia Gandhi at a hotel in the national capital for more than 1.5 hours. He was accompanied by his brother-in-law Robert Vadra. 

Rahul Gandhi’s Conviction in Modi Surname Case

The court of CJM HH Varma had on March 23 sentenced Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail in the 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his ‘Modi surname’ remarks. He was disqualified from the Lok Sabha the following day. 

The delay by Rahul to file an appeal against the March 23 order led to speculation that it might be a deliberate political move to garner sympathy by projecting the Congress leader as a “victim of vendetta politics”.

Congress sources, however, said that Rahul’s legal team was taking time in drafting the appeal as the verdict in the case would have a bearing on similar cases against him in Patna and Ranchi. 

The defamation case was filed against Gandhi by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi for saying, "How come all thieves have the common surname, Modi?"

Gandhi also faces another defamation case filed by former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi for his 2019 remarks. A Patna court has reportedly directed the Congress leader to appear before it on April 12 in connection with the case.

After the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi`s membership from the Lok Sabha, the Congress has been vocal in protests all over the country. The grand old party has been making an effort to rally like-minded Opposition parties around it in the wake of Rahul`s loss membership of the Lower House.

Rahul`s disqualification is the latest in a series of flashpoints between the Congress and the ruling BJP, with a united Opposition calling it a ploy to divert public attention from the Adani issue.