The Supreme Court has intervened to stay the conviction and two-year jail sentence handed to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by a Gujarat court in a criminal defamation case. This stay has come as a huge respite for Rahul Gandhi. Details as follows.

Gandhi’s controversial statement, linking Prime Minister Narendra Modi with individuals like Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi, led to the defamation case. it is known news that Rahul Gandhi earlier remarked, “Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi. How come all the thieves have ‘Modi’ as a common surname?”. The magistrate court earlier sided with Purnesh Modi’s claim that Gandhi’s words insulted those with the Modi surname, based on the impact of his words as an MP. Despite Gandhi’s appeals, both a sessions court and the Gujarat High Court upheld the conviction and handed the 2-year sentence to him. The Supreme Court Bench now questioned the trial court’s lack of specific reasons for imposing the maximum two-year imprisonment penalty under the Indian Penal Code for defamation. This absence of rationale led the Court to put the conviction on hold during ongoing proceedings, clarifying that the appeal process would continue without hindrance.

Rahul Gandhi maintained his innocence, asserting he could have apologized earlier if needed. This legal battle’s political implications are significant due to Rahul Gandhi’s role in the Congress party. The case underscores debates about freedom of expression and defamation laws in the political landscape. As the legal proceedings unfold in the case of “Rahul Gandhi vs Purnesh Ishwarbhai Modi and Anr,” it remains a focal point of discussions concerning the intersection of politics and the judicial system. However, it is to be noted that this is just a stay on conviction and judicial proceedings will still continue.