Surat court rejects Rahul Gandhi's application seeking stay on conviction

A sessions court in Gujarat's Surat on Thursday rejected an application filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seeking a stay on his conviction in the 2019 criminal defamation case for his "Modi surname" remark. Notably, Gandhi lost his seat in Parliament after his conviction in the case which entails a two-year jail sentence. He is currently out on bail.

• Targeting PM Narendra Modi at a rally in Kolar, Karnataka, ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Gandhi remarked, "How come all the thieves have the common surname Modi?"
• A magistrate court in Surat last month convicted Gandhi for defaming the "entire Modi community". The Assembly elections are scheduled for 2024 but Gandhi can't contest elections until six years of his release.