Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was recently disqualified from Congress, will appeal in the Surat Sessional Court, Gujarat on Monday against his conviction in a criminal defamation case over remarks made by the “surname Modi “.
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Ghaziabad. (PTI file)
Several senior congressional leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, will accompany him to court.
Rahul Gandhi at the Court of Surat: Highlights
1. Rahul Gandhi’s lawyers have said the Congress leader will ask a magistrate court to suspend his sentence.
2. Gandhi probably reached Surat around 2 p.m. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Congressman Rajya Sabha KC Venugopal, and other top party leaders will also be in Surat.
3. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel, and Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu may also be in Gujarat.
4. On March 23, Surat HH Varma Chief Judicial Court found Gandhi (52) guilty and sentenced him to two years in prison in a criminal defamation case filed in 2019 for his remarks on the “Modi surname”.
5. The next day, the former president of Congress was disqualified from the Senate.
6. After his disqualification, Gandhi will not be able to stand for election for eight years unless the higher court suspends his conviction and sentence.
7. Indian People’s Liberation Army and former Gujarat Minister Purnesh Modi have filed a lawsuit against the Congress leader over Gandhi’s alleged comment “Why all thieves have Modi as their name common family”.
8. Gandhi made the remarks during a speech at a rally in Kolar, Karnataka on April 13, 2019, during the Lok Sabha election campaign.
9. “We are confident that the Court of Appeal will understand the egregious error of the Magistrate’s Court and deliver justice swiftly,” said Rajya Sabha MP Abhishek Singhvi, who oversees and advises the legal team at the ‘call.
10. Senior Counsel RS Cheema representing Gandhi will appear in court on Monday.
