Surat sessions court grants bail to Rahul Gandhi in defamation case, next hearing on April 13

Rahul Gandhi gets bail from the Surat sessions court in defamation case; next hearing posted on April 13

The Surat Sessions Court granted bail to former Congress President Rahul Gandhi in the criminal defamation case over his remark “why all thieves share the Modi surname” in which he was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment by the magisterial court.

The court also suspended the sentence awarded to the Congress leader till the disposal of his appeal and posted the matter for hearing on April 13. Mr. Gandhi was awarded two years imprisonment in the criminal defamation case.

Earlier, after arriving from Delhi, Mr. Gandhi moved an appeal in the Surat Sessions Court challenging his conviction.

The appeal has been accompanied by two applications, the first application is for Suspension of Sentence, which is essentially an application for regular bail, and the second application is for Suspension of Conviction.

He was convicted based on a criminal defamation case filed by BJP legislator Purnesh Modi, who had approached the court contending that Mr. Gandhi’s statement had defamed the Modi community.

His sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several senior leaders, including AICC General Secretary in charge of organisation K.C. Venugopal, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Digvijaya Singh and Anand Sharma also accompanied Mr. Gandhi to the sessions court in Surat.