Rahul Gandhi had made a remark about the Modi surname at a 2019 election rally.
For his 2019 comment asking, “how come all the thieves have Modi as their common surname,” a Surat court today gave Congress leader Rahul Gandhi a two-year prison sentence. The BJP leader Purnesh Modi had earlier today successfully filed a petition accusing Gandhi of criminal defamation.
Gandhi was convicted by Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma of violating sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code and given a Rs. 15,000 fine. On Gandhi’s appeal, however, the judge temporarily stayed his sentencing and let him appeal his conviction within 30 days.
As Gandhi was given bail, he will not have to serve any time in jail.
Modi, a BJP leader from Surat registered a FIR against Gandhi after the Congress leader made the Modi remark while addressing a campaign rally at Karnataka’s Kolar ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer for the Kollar District sent out a notification that Gandhi would be speaking at the rally and sent out surveillance footage of the event.
