Shruti Suman
In a significant development benefiting Rahul Gandhi, a leader of the Congress party, the Supreme Court put a hold on his conviction in a defamation case from 2019 related to his remarks about the ‘Modi’ surname. Previously, the Congress leader had appealed to the Supreme Court after the Gujarat High Court rejected his plea last month against a verdict from a Surat court that found him guilty on March 23. The court had also sentenced him to two years of imprisonment.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court noted that the order from the Gujarat High Court was a “very interesting read” and contained a “lot of preaching.”
The Gujarat High Court, in dismissing Rahul Gandhi’s petition on July 7, had emphasized the necessity for “integrity in politics.” The court also stated that there was insufficient reason to halt the conviction, affirming that the trial court’s decision was “fair, appropriate, and legal,” and there was no justification for interference.
The High Court additionally pointed out that the public reputation of the petitioner and the extensive media coverage of their statements severely damaged the reputation of the complainant (Purnesh Modi) and the Modi community.
While considering the case, the Supreme Court informed Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who was representing Rahul Gandhi, that he needed to present an extraordinary argument to secure a suspension of the conviction.
In response, Singhvi argued that the original surname of the complainant, Purnesh Modi, was not ‘Modi,’ and he adopted this surname later.
“None of the individuals Gandhi mentioned in his speech have filed lawsuits. This is a small community of 130 million people, and there is no consistency or uniformity. The only aggrieved parties within this community are individuals who hold positions in the BJP and are suing,” Singhvi stated.
Referring to the previous verdict in the lower court, Singhvi argued that the judge treated this as a serious offense involving moral turpitude.
“This is a non-cognizable, bailable, and compoundable offense. The offense was not against society; it wasn’t kidnapping, rape, or murder. How can this be considered an offense involving moral turpitude?” he questioned.
“In a democracy, we have dissent, we have disagreement. What we call ‘shaleen bhasha.’ Gandhi is not a hardened criminal. Many cases have been filed by BJP workers, but there has never been a conviction. Gandhi has already missed two sessions of Parliament,” he added.
Earlier, in July, the Supreme Court had issued notices to the Gujarat government and the complainant as part of an appeal by the Congress leader challenging the Gujarat High Court’s decision.
Rahul Disqualified as MP on March 24
The Gujarat High Court’s ruling had declined to suspend his conviction in the criminal defamation case, which led to Rahul Gandhi’s two-year prison sentence by the Surat court for the ‘Modi surname’ remark. Following his conviction, Rahul was disqualified as a Member of Parliament from Wayanad, Kerala, on March 24.
Rahul’s Statement on the ‘Modi Surname’ Remark
While maintaining his innocence in the ‘Modi surname’ remark case, Rahul Gandhi requested the Supreme Court to suspend his two-year conviction, enabling him to participate in ongoing sessions of the Lok Sabha and future sessions.
During a rally in Kolar, Karnataka, in April 2019, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a criticism aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stated that “How is it that all the thieves have the surname Modi?”
In an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, Rahul affirmed that he had consistently asserted his innocence and that the “conviction is baseless.” He mentioned that if he were required to apologize and resolve the matter, “he would have done so much earlier.”
Celebrations at Congress Headquarters
Joyous celebrations erupted at the Congress party’s headquarters following the Supreme Court’s decision to suspend Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in the ‘Modi surname’ defamation case.
“Satyamev Jayate,” Congress Exclaims After Supreme Court Verdict
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury declared, “The phrase ‘Satyamev Jayate’ will resonate throughout the Parliament premises. The plot against Rahul Gandhi has collapsed today, and his triumph will strongly impact Modi Ji.”
NI Bureau
