New Delhi (India), April 29, 2023: The Gujarat High Court is set to hear Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s plea challenging a Surat court’s refusal to grant a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case. The case pertains to Gandhi’s infamous “Modi surname” remark, which sparked controversy and resulted in his conviction by a Surat magistrate court in March this year.
Gandhi’s lawyer, P. S. Champaneri, had earlier mentioned the case before Justice Gita Gopi of Gujarat HC, who recused herself from the hearing. However, the case will now be heard by the court of Justice Hemant Prachchhak on Saturday. Gandhi is seeking a stay on his conviction, citing disproportionate punishment and irreparable harm caused by the loss of his Lok Sabha membership.
The Surat court rejected Gandhi’s plea seeking a stay on his conviction on April 20, stating that the power to grant such a stay cannot be exercised in a “casual and mechanical manner.” The conviction had been handed down in a criminal defamation complaint filed by Surat West MLA Purnesh Modi over Gandhi’s controversial remarks made during an election rally in Karnataka in 2019.
The case has garnered widespread attention and sparked debates on freedom of speech and the judicial system in India. As the matter comes up for hearing before the Gujarat HC, all eyes are on the outcome of this high-profile legal battle.
