NEW DELHI: A Surat sessions court will deliver its verdict today, April 21, on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's petition, seeking a stay on his conviction in the criminal defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark.

The lawsuit concerned a comment Rahul Gandhi made while speaking at a campaign event in advance of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and using the surname "Modi."  

Latest Updates: In light of Rahul Gandhi's appeal against a lower court's decision to sentence him to two years in prison in the case, the court of Additional Sessions Judge RP Mogera had on Thursday last week deferred its decision until today.

Rahul Gandhi claimed that the trial court intentionally sentenced him in a way that would result in the order of disqualification because it was aware of his status as a legislator.

Last month, Rahul Gandhi lost his eligibility to serve in the Parliament.

Rahul Gandhi was elected to represent Wayanad in Kerala in the Lok Sabha in 2019. However, he was stripped of his seat a day later, on March 24, when a metropolitan magistrate court in Surat sentenced him to two years in prison in a defamation case brought by BJP MLA Purnesh Modi under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code.

Today, the Surat Court will rule on Rahul Gandhi's appeal. In a lawsuit brought by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Purnesh Modi, a lower court in Surat sentenced Rahul Gandhi, a Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad, to two years in prison on March 23 for violating sections 499 and 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). This resulted in Gandhi's disqualification.

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