Rahul Gandhi may move Surat court to challenge conviction in defamation case on Monday

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, recently disqualified from the Parliament after being sentenced to two years in prison over a 2019 defamation case, may challenge his conviction and sentencing in the Surat sessions court on Monday, media reports said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is likely to move the Surat sessions court on Monday against his conviction in a 2019 defamation case and his two-year jail term in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remarks, sources said.

A Gujarati judge in Surat found the former Congress chief guilty of defamation on March 23. In response to a protest from BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi regarding his statement that "How come all thieves have the common surname Modi," the Congress MP was charged with defamation.

Rahul Gandhi was given a two-year prison term by the Surat judge. His two-year prison term was subsequently postponed for 30 days after he was given bail.  Following his conviction, Gandhi was disqualified as a member of Lok Sabha. The Congress leader has, in his plea, sought a stay on the Magistrate order convicting him in the defamation case.

Days after disqualification, Gandhi was served a notice to vacate his official Delhi bungalow, as he was no longer entitled to it.

The BJP justified the action as legal and questioned whether Rahul Gandhi believed he was above the law. A deliberate insult to the entire OBC group, according to the governing party, was made by Gandhi in his comment. 

With even political rivals combining forces with the grand old party to target the BJP-ruled Centre for supposedly arming federal investigative agencies and taking retaliatory action against Opposition leaders, Rahul Gandhi's disqualification has united a divided opposition.