Surat court sentences Rahul Gandhi to two years’ imprisonment over ‘Modi surname’ remark

In a criminal defamation case brought against him over his claimed ‘Modi surname’ comment, the Surat District Court sentenced Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to two years in prison on Thursday.

He was later granted bail by the court. “The court has suspended the punishment for 30 days and granted bail to Rahul Gandhi,” said an advocate at Surat district court. Meanwhile, Union law minister Kiren Rijiju outside Parliament said, “I will see the details of the order before I say anything. Whatever Rahul Gandhi speaks it always affects the Congress party and the entire nation in a negative way. Some Congress MPs told me that because of his attitude, Congress is suffering.”

Earlier Thursday, a Surat court found Congress leader Rahul Gandhi guilty in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his claimed ‘Modi surname’ statements.

The Surat District Court pronounced the verdict in the case for his alleged “how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?” remarks on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi.

Rahul Gandhi allegedly made the remarks regarding Modi’s surname at a rally in Kolar, Karnataka, ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Last week, the Chief Justice’s Court.

Rahul Gandhi allegedly made the remarks regarding Modi’s surname at a rally in Kolar, Karnataka, ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election. The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma ended hearing closing arguments from both parties last week and slated March 23 for a decision in the four-year-old defamation case.