Congress leader Rahul Gandhi suffered a significant setback as the Gujarat High Court recently rejected his request for an immediate stay on his conviction in a defamation case. The court’s decision would have far-reaching effects on Gandhi, the Congress party, and his political career. This article highlights the case details, the court’s decision, and the possible consequences for Gandhi and his party.
In March 2019, Rahul Gandhi, the then-president of the Congress party, made a statement during an election rally in Kolar, Karnataka, where he questioned the prevalence of the surname “Modi” among alleged thieves. In response, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Surat West Purnesh Modi filed a criminal defamation suit against Gandhi using sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code.
See tweet below
#WATCH | Gujarat High Court verdict on defamation case against Rahul Gandhi | Lawyer of petitioner & BJP MLA Purnesh Modi, Advocate Harshit Tolia says, “We also placed on record a statement reported in newspapers wherein he (Rahul Gandhi) had said, “I am not Veer Savarkar, won’t… pic.twitter.com/mqNwsQiuVb
— ANI (@ANI) July 7, 2023
Gandhiji’s legal battle after the court’s decision
After a lengthy legal action, the Surat Metropolitan Magistrate’s court held Rahul Gandhi guilty of criminal defamation on March 23, 2023. He was sentenced to two years in prison, which raised concerns about his political future and parliamentary seat.
After the conviction, Gandhi’s legal team filed an appeal in the Surat sessions court seeking a stay on the sentence. However, on April 20, while granting him bail, the court refused to stay the sentence. This forced Gandhi to approach the Gujarat High Court for temporary relief.
Impact on the Congress party of Gujarat High Court’s decision
The Gujarat High Court, through Justice Prachhak, recently ruled that the trial court’s conviction award was valid and saw no ground to reverse it. As a result, Gandhi’s request for an immediate halt was denied. The court also noted that Rahul Gandhi has several criminal cases pending against him, which further complicates his legal position.
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Rahul Gandhi’s conviction and subsequent denial of relief have had a detrimental effect on the Congress party. Gandhi’s inability to contest elections or appeal against the suspension of her parliamentary post weakens the party’s leadership and hinders its ability to muster support. The setback comes when the Congress party was trying to gain political momentum.
You can also see the tweet below
राहुल गाँधी की 2 साल की सज़ा बरक़रार रहेगी
मानहानि केस में गुजरात हाईकोर्ट ने राहुल गांधी की पुनर्विचार याचिका खारिज कर बड़ा झटका दिया
कोर्ट ने कहा- “दोषसिद्धि पर रोक लगाना एक अपवाद है, कोई नियम नहीं..
एक सांसद रहते हुए राहुल गांधी के खिलाफ 10 से अधिक मामले हैं” pic.twitter.com/YmVfYrAnVf
— Rubika Liyaquat (@RubikaLiyaquat) July 7, 2023
Appeal to the Supreme Court
Although the decision of the Gujarat High Court is a setback for Rahul Gandhi, still he can appeal against this decision in the Supreme Court. The apex court has provided hope for the Congress leader to challenge the conviction and seek legal recourse.
The rejection of Rahul Gandhi’s request to stay the defamation sentence has greatly affected his political career and the Congress party. The Gujarat High Court ruling puts Gandhi’s immediate political future at risk while the party grapples with the consequences of losing a prominent leader.
As the legal battle progresses in the Supreme Court, the outcome will shape the path of Gandhi’s political ambitions and the Congress party’s efforts to regain influence on the national stage.
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