Surat Court Convicts Rahul Gandhi In Defamation Case Over 'Modi Surname' Remark, Gets 2-Year Jail Term

A Court in Gujarat's Surat District today convicted Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case for his remarks “why all thieves share the Modi surname” made during a political campaign in Karol in April 2019.

BREAKING: Surat Court Convicts Rahul Gandhi In Defamation Case Over 'Modi Surname' Remark @RahulGandhi #SuratCourt #RahulGandhi #ModiSurnameremark https://t.co/Hupm17KgfH

— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) March 23, 2023

The Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma sentenced him to two years in jail and also imposed a fine of Rs. 15,000 after finding him guilty under Sections 499 (Defamation), 500 (punishment for Defamation) IPC. He has also secured bail in the case. 

On Rahul Gandhi's plea, his sentence has been suspended, and bail has been granted to enable him to move an appeal against his conviction within 30 days.

BREAKING: Rahul Gandhi SENTENCED to Two Years in jail. #DefamationCase https://t.co/ylUxotXag4

— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) March 23, 2023

The case in brief

BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi Purnesh Modi had filed a complaint under Sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code against Rahul Gandhi for his alleged remarks stating that it has defamed all people with the ‘Modi’ surname while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The remarks had been video graphed by the video surveillance team and video viewing team duly notified by the office of Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer, Kollar District.

The Gujarat High Court had vacated the stay on trial in the criminal defamation case in February this year. Gandhi Rahul Gandhi remained present in the court when the court pronounced its verdict. On earlier three occasions too, he was present before the Court. 

Gandhi has maintained that there was no malafide intention on his part when he made the statement in question.

Click Here To Read/Download Judgment