RAHUL GANDHI GETS SC RELIEF IN 'MODI SURNAME DEFAMATION CASE'

The Congress leader got relief after four years of intense legal battle.

- ASHISH SINHA

The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the conviction of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case. The case was related to a remark he allegedly made during a political rally in 2019 about the “Modi” surname. The three-judge bench, led by Justice B.R. Gavai, along with Justices P.S. Narasimha and Sanjay Kumar, questioned the trial judge’s decision to impose the maximum sentence of two years without providing any reason. This sentence raised concerns about his disqualification from Parliament.

The court acknowledged that while Gandhi’s alleged remarks, if made, were in bad taste, public figures like him should exercise caution and be more careful in their statements. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Gandhi, argued that the defamation was a non-cognizable, bailable, and compoundable offence, and the maximum sentence was rarely awarded. He highlighted that no other conviction had been recorded against him, and mutual respect should prevail in politics.