India court rejects Rahul Gandhi’s plea for stay on conviction

BREAKBREAK,

Surat court rejects congress leader’s request for stay of sentencing in defamation case.

A court in India’s western state of Gujarat has rejected Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s petition.

Gandhi was convicted last month in a case brought by a state legislator from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after comments made by the Congress party leader in a 2019 speech were deemed offensive to the prime minister and other people with the nickname Modi.

A court in Surat city had sentenced Gandhi to two years in prison for his comments about two fugitive Indian businessmen, both surnamed Modi.

At an election rally that year, the 52-year-old leader had asked: “How come all the thieves are named Modi?”

More to follow.