The Gujarat High Court reserved its decision on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s request for a stay of execution in the 2019 ‘Modi surname’ defamation case on Tuesday.
Justice Hemant Prachchhak will pronounce the verdict after vacations. The court refused to grant Rahul Gandhi any interim relief. On April 25, Rahul Gandhi filed a petition with the Gujarat High Court, challenging a Surat Sessions Court order that refused to stay his conviction in the criminal defamation case.
During the April 29 hearing, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Rahul Gandhi, requested time to produce certain documents on record, and the court adjourned the hearing to May 2.
On 20 April, the Surat Sessions Court denied Rahul Gandhi’s request for a stay of execution in his 2019 criminal defamation case.
Additional Sessions Judge Robin P Mogera cited Gandhi’s stature as an MP and former leader of the country’s second-largest political party in his decision, saying he should have been more cautious.
Mogera said the surname of the complainant in the case, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Purnesh Modi, is also Modi. “the complainant is [also an] ex-minister and involved in public life and such defamatory remarks would have certainly harmed his reputation and caused him pain and agony in society.”