‘Modi Surname’ Row: Rahul Gandhi Moves SC Against Gujarat HC Order

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has moved the Supreme Court to challenge the July 7 order of the Gujarat High Court.

The High Court dismissed his revision plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case related to the ‘Modi Thieves’ remark made during the 2019 Lok Sabha campaign.

The criminal defamation case was filed against Gandhi by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi, alleging that his remark defamed the entire Modi community. Gandhi maintains that there was no malafide intention behind his statement.

On March 23, 2023, the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Surat convicted and sentenced  Rahul Gandhi to 2 years of imprisonment, leading to his disqualification as a Lok Sabha member.

However,  he was granted bail on the same day to file an appeal within 30 days. Rahul Gandhi appealed against his conviction and sought a stay on the sentence at the Surat Sessions Court on April 3, but the request was rejected on April 20.

The Gujarat High Court dismissed Gandhi’s revision plea, noting that the case involves a larger identifiable class, the Modi community, and not just an individual.

The court emphasized Gandhi’s role as a senior leader of the oldest political party in India, stating that he has a responsibility to safeguard the dignity and reputation of a significant number of individuals.

Furthermore, the High Court acknowledged other pending complaints against Gandhi, including one filed by the grandson of Vir Savarkar in the Pune Court.

The court noted that Gandhi had allegedly used defamatory language against Vir Savarkar during a speech at Cambridge University.