'Modi Surname' defamation case verdict: What happens next for Rahul Gandhi

livemint.com:

Gujarat High Court has rejected the review plea filed by former MP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, seeking to stay the conviction in a criminal defamation case related to his 'Modi Thieves' remark. This setback means he could potentially face imprisonment and would lose his parliamentary seat while appealing against the guilty verdict. Speaking about the development, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said, "We will move SC against Gujarat HC order dismissing Rahul Gandhi's plea to stay his conviction in the defamation case." As reported by LiveLaw, the plea was heard by Justice Hemant Prachchhak, and the court had reserved its order on May 2.

However, the court has now dismissed Gandhi's review plea. During the 2019 Lok Sabha campaign, Rahul Gandhi made a remark that led to the filing of a criminal defamation case against him. He questioned why individuals like Lalit Modi and Nirav Modi, who share the same surname, were involved in wrongdoing, stating "why all thieves have the same surname?" This remark formed the basis of the criminal defamation case.

BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi filed a criminal defamation case against Rahul Gandhi, claiming that his comment defamed the entire Modi community. Gandhi, on the other hand, has asserted that he did not have any malicious intent when he made the statement in question. After nearly two years of stagnation in the courts, the case against Rahul Gandhi was resumed earlier this year, leading to his conviction for defamation in March.