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By India Today News Desk: After a Surat court convicted and sentenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case, which led to his disqualification from the Lok Sabha, the party had pinned hopes on the Surat sessions court. On Thursday, those hopes were dashed, with just two words from the judge.
Though the judge pronounced two words, the written judgment is 27-page long.
“An application Exh.5 – preferred by Appellant Mr Rahul Gandhi u/s.389 and 389(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 for staying the conviction imposed by the judgment and order dated 23/3/2023 by the Ld Chief Judicial Magistrate, Surat in Criminal Case No.18712/2019 is hereby dismissed. Pronounced in open court today on this 20th April, 2023 at Surat,” the order reads.
Rahul Gandhi had on March 23 been sentenced to two years in jail in the defamation case against him for his “all thieves have Modi surname” remark. He was convicted by a trial court under Section 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The trial court kept the sentence suspended and gave Rahul Gandhi 30 days to appeal in a higher court.
Rahul Gandhi’s team of lawyers had moved the sessions court in Surat.
In his submission, they said if the March 23 judgment of the trial court was not suspended and stayed, it would cause irreparable damage to Rahul Gandhi’s reputation.
Last Thursday, the court of Additional Sessions Judge RP Mogera had reserved its verdict for April 20 on the application for a stay, pending his appeal against a lower court’s order sentencing Rahul Gandhi to two years in jail in the defamation case.
On Thursday, Judge RP Mogera went through all the papers of the appeal in the case. He then said, “application dismissed”.
Just two words have shattered the hopes of Rahul’s team and the party for now.
Though Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, “We will continue to avail all options still available to us under the law”, there is no immediate relief for Rahul Gandhi. His disqualification as an MP is going to continue. And there is a question mark on whether the former MP from Wayanad will be able to contest the 2024 election.
(With inputs from Saurabh Vaktania)
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