Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison on Thursday in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surname by a court in Surat, Gujarat. However, he was granted bail after paying a bail bond of ₹10,000.
Rahul Gandhi was present at the court when the verdict was announced. The development has led to a war of words between the leaders of Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Meanwhile, former deputy chief minister of Bihar and Rajya Sabha MP, Sushil Kumar Modi shared that he has also filed a defamation suit against the Congress leader in Patna’s Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court (CJM) court. He added, “He (Rahul Gandhi) is out on bail. Like Surat court, there is every possibility of punitive action in Patna court as well.”
Rahul Gandhi was received by the Gujarat unit of the Congress when he arrived in Surat earlier in the day for the verdict. In his initial remarks following the decision, he cited Mahatma Gandhi, “My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, non-violence is the means to get it.”
Reacting to the conviction of the Wayanad MP, his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted, “Scared rulers (BJP) are pulling out all the stops to suppress the voice of Rahul Gandhi ji. My brother has never been afraid, nor will he ever be. He will continue to speak the truth. Will continue to raise the voice of the people of the country. The power of truth and the love of crores of countrymen are with him.”
Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge stated that ‘we believe in law and judiciary and will fight against the judgement.’
Rahul Gandhi last appeared before the Surat court in the case, in October 2021 to record his statement.
A lawsuit was brought against him for a comment he made disparaging Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s last name, which he shares with fugitive businessmen Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi.
During the 2019 Lok Sabha election, at a rally in Karnataka’s Kolar, Rahul Gandhi remarked, “How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname.” BJP MLA Purnesh Modi registered a complaint against him for defaming the entire Modi community.
The case was filed under Indian Penal Code Sections 499 and 500. Under Sections 499 and 500, a punishment of simple imprisonment for a term that may extend to two years, with a fine, or with both.
According to Rahul Gandhi’s attorney, the court proceedings were ‘flawed’ from the start. He further contended that because the PM was the primary focus of Gandhi’s speech, he, and not the MLA, should have lodged the complaint.
The former Congress president’s punishment has been kept for 30 days by the Surat court that pronounced him guilty on his legal team’s plea to give him time to appeal the ruling.