Surat: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was convicted at Surat court on Thursday in a case pertaining to his statement on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surname during the 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign. The Surat District court sentenced him to two years of imprisonment, however, he was released on bail moments later. Speaking at a rally in Karnataka, Rahul, in a reference to fugitives Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi, took a jibe at the Prime Minister asking how can all thieves be named Modi.
BJP MLA Purnesh Modi took offense and filed a defamation case at a Surat court against his statement, declaring himself innocent. Purnesh Modi was a minister in the first tenure of the Bhupendra Patel government. He was re-elected from the Surat West Assembly seat this Assembly election.
The court gave its verdict in the case on Wednesday, the hearing of which concluded last Friday. The final arguments resumed last month after the Gujarat High Court vacated its stay on proceedings imposed on plea by the complainant demanding Gandhi's personal appearance.
Also read: "Thieves have Modi surname" remarks: Rahul pleads not guilty
The complainant argued that electronic evidence produced before the court containing Rahul's Kolar speech established that he made the Modi surname remarks which defamed the Modi community. Rahul's lawyer, on the other hand, argued that the court proceedings were flawed as the procedure laid down under section 202 of the CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) was not followed. He also argued that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and not MLA Purnesh Modi, should have been the complainant. This was because the PM was the main target of his speech.
According to sources, Rahul Gandhi reached the court directly from the airport. Senior Congress leaders like state President Jagdish Thakor, Raghu Sharma and Amit Chavda had already arrived at Surat prior to Rahul's arrival. Congress activists from all across Gujarat stood at four junctions on the way to the court to welcome Rahul Gandhi with flowers. The Wayanad MP had come to Surat earlier on three occasions for the case. The case has been heard on several occasions in the lower court of Surat.
It was on April 13, 2019, when Rahul Gandhi in a public meeting at Kolar in Karnataka said that Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi - all have the same surnames. In the court, Rahul Gandhi referred to his statement back then as political sarcasm adding that his intention was not to hurt anyone's sentiments.
