Criminal Defamation Case: Surat Court Declarers Rahul Gandhi ‘Guilty,’ Yet Receives Bail

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was held guilty by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his “Modi surname” remarks. The court has also sentenced Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to two years of imprisonment. However, he was granted bail later.

Rahul Gandhi guilty in defamation case

The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma held Gandhi guilty under Indian Penal Code section 504, which deals with intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace.

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The Wayanad MP was present in the court when the verdict was pronounced.

The case was filed under IPC sections 499, 500 (for criminal defamation), and 504 on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi. These sections invite a jail term of up to two years or a fine or both.

The case was filed against the Congress leader for his alleged “how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?”

Rahul Gandhi made the remarks while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The court had last week concluded hearing final arguments from both sides and set March 23 to pronounce its judgment in the four-year-old defamation case.