The Supreme Relief for Rahul in defamation case

The Supreme Court on Friday, stayed the conviction of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case linked to his “Modi surname” remark. He will not be reinstated as MP and can also contest elections. The apex court has asked why he was given the maximum punishment by the lower court and observed that the ramifications of the lower court’s decision are wide.

The court said that if the judge had given the punishment of 1 year 11 months then Gandhi would not have been disqualified. The top court observed that no reason was given by the trial court for imposing the maximum punishment. However, the SC also said that a person in public life must exercise caution while making public speeches.

Gandhi was convicted by a Surat court in 2019 for making the remark during a 2014 election rally in Gujarat. He was sentenced to two years in jail, but the sentence was suspended for 30 days to allow him to appeal.

In his appeal to the Supreme Court, Gandhi argued that the Surat court had not properly considered his defense and that the conviction was based on political considerations. The Supreme Court agreed to stay the conviction pending the outcome of the appeal.

The stay on Gandhi’s conviction is a major victory for the Congress party. It also comes at a time when the party is facing increasing pressure from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The stay on his conviction will help Gandhi make a comeback in the Parliament. On Wednesday, Gandhi refused to apologize for his remark before the SC.