Close X
Sunday, November 10, 2024
ADVT 
India

‘Modi surname' defamation case: SC to hear Rahul Gandhi’s plea for staying conviction on Friday

Darpan News Desk IANS, 03 Aug, 2023 11:16 AM
  • ‘Modi surname' defamation case: SC to hear Rahul Gandhi’s plea for staying conviction on Friday

New Delhi, Aug 3 (IANS) The Supreme Court is slated to hear, on Friday, the plea filed by former Congress President Rahul Gandhi against the Gujarat High Court's verdict refusing a stay on his conviction in the ‘Modi surname' defamation case, which cost him his Lok Sabha membership.

As per the cause list published on the apex court website, a bench of Justices B.R. Gavai, P.S. Narasimha, and Prashant Kumar Mishra will continue to hear Gandhi’s plea.

The Supreme Court on July 21 agreed to examine the special leave petition filed by the Congress leader and issued notice on the question as to whether his conviction should be suspended pending appeal.

Declining to pass any interim relief on Gandhi’s plea without hearing the both sides, it had granted a 10-days period to complainant BJP MLA Purnesh Modi and others to file written submissions and posted the matter for further hearing on August 4.

In written pleadings,Gandhi has stated in a rejoinder affidavit filed before court that he was described as "arrogant" by the complainant because he had refused to apologise in the 'Modi surname' defamation case. It said that Gandhi has always maintained that he is not guilty of offence and "if he had to apologise and compound the offence, he would have done it much earlier".

The counter-affidavit filed by the BJP MLA said that Gandhi displayed "arrogance" and his petition before the Supreme Court "deserves to be dismissed with exemplary costs." It said that Gandhi made the defamatory statement out of "personal hatred" towards an elected Prime Minister of the country, and “deserves no sympathy” on the question of the sentence imposed.

The Supreme Court had agreed to hear the plea on July 21 after senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Gandhi, sought urgent listing of the matter. On July 15, the Congress leader had approached the Supreme Court challenging the Gujarat high court’s order where a bench of Justice Hemant Prachchhak had observed that granting a stay on his conviction would be an exception, and not a rule.

Gandhi was disqualified as an MP in March, after a Surat court convicted him and sentenced him to two years in prison for his "How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname" remark made during an election rally in Karnataka in April 2019. Gandhi's remark was interpreted as an attempt to draw an implicit connection between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and fugitive businessmen Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi.

In March, the sessions court in Surat had dismissed Gandhi's plea seeking suspension of his conviction by the magistrate court, stating that his disqualification will not result in an irreversible loss to him. The Congress leader was disqualified under a rule that bars convicted MPs from holding Lok Sabha membership. According to legal experts, if the top court stays Rahul Gandhi's conviction, it would be sufficient to restore his Lok Sabha membership. 

MORE India ARTICLES

Fake call center cheating US citizens busted in Goa

Fake call center cheating US citizens busted in Goa
Goa crime branch police on Wednesday busted a fake call center involving nine accused persons who were cheating citizens of the United States. Superintendent of Police (Crime branch) Nidhin Valsan informed that the police conducted a raid on an illegal call centre at Majorda, Salcete in South Goa, where nine accused persons were arrested.  

Fake call center cheating US citizens busted in Goa

Will compensate for rainfall loss, says Punjab CM

Will compensate for rainfall loss, says Punjab CM
The Chief Minister said already all Cabinet Ministers, MLAs and the officers are in their respective areas and reaching out to the needy people in this hour of grave crisis. The Chief Minister said an elaborate mechanism has been put in place to safeguard the life and property of people from the increasing level of water.

Will compensate for rainfall loss, says Punjab CM

Release relief of Rs 20K per acre to farmers for crop damage: Punjab BJP chief

Release relief of Rs 20K per acre to farmers for crop damage: Punjab BJP chief
Lackadaisical and irresponsible attitude of the state government has visibly worsened the flood situation in most parts and people of the state are being made to face hardships for no fault of theirs, Jakhar said asking the government to immediately release compensation to tune of Rs 20,000 per acre to farmers for crop damage. 

Release relief of Rs 20K per acre to farmers for crop damage: Punjab BJP chief

Sky-rocketing tomato prices continue to burn a hole in common man’s pocket

Sky-rocketing tomato prices continue to burn a hole in common man’s pocket
According to recent reports, the price of tomato has skyrocketed from Rs 15 per kg in the first week of May to an astonishing Rs 122 to 200 per kg in various regions across the country. The wholesalers claim that the price of veggies, including tomato, have doubled in two weeks and their sales have been reduced by 40 per cent.

Sky-rocketing tomato prices continue to burn a hole in common man’s pocket

Jailed gangster Bishnoi down with dengue, hospitalised

Jailed gangster Bishnoi down with dengue, hospitalised
Jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi was admitted to a government hospital in Punjab’s Faridkot town on Tuesday after he was found to have high fever. He was later diagnosed with dengue fever.  

Jailed gangster Bishnoi down with dengue, hospitalised

Cong postpones 'Maun Satyagraha' in support of Rahul in northern states following deluge

Cong postpones 'Maun Satyagraha' in support of Rahul in northern states following deluge
On Friday, the Gujarat HC had dismissed the Congress leader's plea to stay his conviction and two-year jail term in a criminal defamation case that costed him his Lok Sabha membership. The Congress has planned day-long 'Muan Satyagraha' at all the state headquarters on July 12 against the court decision. 

Cong postpones 'Maun Satyagraha' in support of Rahul in northern states following deluge