![\"Rahul](\"https:\/\/c.ndtvimg.com\/2023-03\/7dmaebqg_rahul-gandhi-1200_625x300_23_March_23.jpg\"\/ "\\"Rahul")
<\/div>\nRahul Gandhi has been convicted by the court for 2019 comments against PM Modi.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
New Delhi: <\/b><\/p>\n
Rahul Gandhi, in a huge setback for his Congress party, was today sentenced to two years in jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his “why all thieves have Modi surname” remarks.<\/p>\n
The 52-year-old leader was granted bail and the court suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court.<\/p>\n
As per the Representation of the People Act, a person sentenced to imprisonment of two years or more shall be disqualified “from the date of such conviction” and remain disqualified for another six years after serving time.<\/p>\n
Here’s what the Surat court said while convicting the Congress leader:<\/strong><\/p>\n *<\/strong> “Although the accused was warned and advised by the supreme court, there is no evidence of any change in conduct.”<\/p>\n *<\/strong> “The accused is an MP who addresses the people in the capacity of an MP and impacts a large part of society, therefore the effect of this crime is much comprehensive in this case.”<\/p>\n *<\/strong> “Giving him a reduced sentence would set a bad precedent and send a negative message in the society.”<\/p>\n The complaint against the Congress leader was filed by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi.<\/p>\n Rahul Gandhi had made the alleged remarks about Modi’s surname at a rally in Karnataka’s Kolar, ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election.<\/p>\n In his first reaction to the Surat court’s verdict, Mr Gandhi quoted Mahatma Gandhi in a tweet in Hindi about truth and non-violence.<\/p>\n “My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, non-violence the means to get it. — Mahatma Gandhi,” the Congress leader tweeted.<\/p>\n A sentence of two years also invites Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as a Member of parliament under Representation of the People Act, 1951, which holds that a member of Parliament or Legislative Assembly convicted of any offence and sentenced to imprisonment of not less than two years shall be disqualified from the date of conviction.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n