Congress leader Rahul Gandhi (Image Source: The Shilong Times)
A court in Surat, Gujrat pronounced the verdict on a defamation case against Rahul Gandhi today (March 23). As per the verdict, the Congress leader is sentenced to two years in jail. In 2019, Gujrat ex-cabinet minister Punesh Modi filed a case against Rahul Gandhi for defaming the ‘Modi’ community. Rahul was speaking at a political rally in Kolar, a city in Karnataka where he called all Modi’s a thief.
While speaking at a rally in 2019 Rahul Gandhi said, “How come all thieves have Modi as common surname?”
Earlier after Punesh filed a case in April 2019, Rahul Gandhi pleaded not guilty in front of the Surat court in October 2019. As per the case Rahul was charged under sections 499 (defamation) and 500 (punishment for defamation) of the IPC.
However, Rahul has been convicted under IPC 504 (intentionally insulting), as per the law the maximum punishment under this section is imprisonment of two years.
On April 13, 2019, Rahul Gandhi at the rally in Kolar repeatedly asked, “Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi..how come they all have Modi as common surname? How come all the thieves have Modi as common surname?”
He also added, “The name Modi symbolises the collusion between India’s biggest crony capitalist and the Prime Minister of India”
Readers may watch Rahul Gandhi defaming people with the surname Modi and associating them with thieves like Nirav and Lalit Modi.
Surat’s Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), AN Dave while speaking with media in 2021 said, Gandhi, denied allegations of making any defamatory remarks on people with surname Modi.
The CJM was also asked by the media on what did Rahul say about his 30 crore remark on prime minister Modi, where he said the PM gave 30 crores to an industrialist. Rahul said, he is an opposition leader and it is his job to question the government and leaders on corruption and unemployment.
Rahul said, he never made any such remarks on the Modi surname as is mentioned in the case.
Punesh also had two eyewitnesses in the case; the Kolar district collector and a videographer who recorded his statement.
Rahul last appeared before the court for the hearing on March 17, where the court issued the verdict date as March 23. Rahul arrived the city a day before and was welcomed by the Congress leaders who put up a poster in his support outside the Surat court reading ‘let’s go to Surat in support of democracy’.
Notably, the poster had pictures of Bahagat Singh and Sukhdev with Rahul Gandhi. It is pertinent to mention that it is March 23 today, observed as ‘Shaheed Diwas’ as revolutionaries Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were hanged to death by the oppressive British government this day. The Congress leaders compared Ragul who has been sentenced for allegedly insulting a section of the society with those who sacrificed their life for the wellbeing of their countrymen.
Earlier court put a stay on the plea demanding Gandhi’s personal appearance in the court. This year Gujrat court vacated the interim stay and the hearings resumed last month. Today Gandhi was present at the court when the judgement was passed.
Manish Doshi, the Congress spokesperson in media said, they believe in the judicial system and alleged that no matter how hard the Bhartiya Janta Party try to silence their leader, they will come back stronger.
As of now, Rahul has been sentenced to two years of imprisonment and most likely he will move to the upper courts for interim bail.
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