Defamation: Rahul gets bail from Surat court; next hearing on Apr 13

Press Trust of India

Surat: In some relief for embattled Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, a sessions court in Gujarat's Surat city on Monday granted bail to him after admitting his appeal against the conviction in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark in which he has been sentenced to two years in jail.

Gandhi (52), who was disqualified from the Lok Sabha after he was handed a two-year jail term last month, was present in the Additional Sessions Judge RP Mogera's court which granted him bail till the disposal of his appeal on a bond of Rs 15,000.

The court also issued a notice to complainant Purnesh Modi, a BJP MLA, over the application for suspension of the conviction. It set April 13 for hearing the plea seeking the suspension of conviction and sentence. The four-time Lok Sabha MP, who reached Surat along with sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, filed an appeal in the sessions court challenging his conviction in the case.

Gandhi also requested the court for exemption from personal appearance during the hearing and his prayer was allowed by the judge. In a show of support for the former Congress president, party Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other leaders were present in the courtroom