Rahul Gandhi files plea in Supreme Court for relief in "Modi Surname" Case

After Gujarat High Court denied Rahul Gandhi refused to stay his criminal defamation over his 'Modi surname' remark which led his disqualification as MP from Wayanad, a petition has been filed in Supreme Court on the same case. The case against Rahul Gandhi was filed by Gujarat BJP MLA Purnesh Modi leading to his convction in March 24, 2023 by the Metroploitan magistrate court in Surat.

Purnesh Modi had also filed a caveat in the Supreme Court seeking to present his side of the case if Rahul Gandhi moved to apex court in order to challenge the verdict of High Court.

During a address in Karnatka Rahul Gadnhi had stirred up controversy by saying "How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?", during the election campaign.

Gujarat HC verdict

The Gujarat High Court had stated while delivering judgment that the need of the hour is to have purity in politics and there was no reasonable ground to provide a stay on Gandhi's conviction. "Rahul Gandhi is seeking a stay on conviction on absolutely non-existent grounds," the court observed. The Court also added that conviction does not in any form incur injustice to Rahul Gandhi.

The Metroploitan magistrate's court in Surat had sentenced Gandhi for two years in jail after convicting him under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 499 and 500 (criminal defamation).

“It is a serious matter affecting a large segment of society and needs to be viewed by the court with the gravity and significance it commands...It is now the need of the hour to have purity in politics. Representatives of people should be men of clear antecedent," Justice Hemant P. Prachchhak said while delivering verdict.

Way forward

By the means of removing stay Rahul Gandhi seeks to reinstate his position as Wayanad MP at a critical time before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Many outside observers had made notice of Gandhi's disqualification and sought to keep an eye on India's treatment of political opposition and freedom of speech and expression.

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