Ahmedabad: In a major jolt to former Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Gujarat High Court today dismissed the  petition seeking a stay on the conviction in relation to criminal defamation case, for calling those having ‘Modi’ surnames as thieves.

The Gandhi scion now has an option under Article 136 of the Constitution to approach the Supreme Court, which he is expected to do at the earliest, as hinted by All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal, at Kozhikode in Kerala, after Gujarat HC order.

It may be mentioned that, Surat Court on Mar. 23 had found Rahul Gandhi guilty under IPC Sections 499 and 500, awarding two years imprisonment. Meanwhile, following his conviction in the case, the Surat Court had granted bail for a period of 30 days (that has been extended further) to Rahul Gandhi to file an appeal in the case.  

The Gandhi scion had filed an appeal at Gujarat High Court that had reserved the order on May 2, while refusing to grant him any interim relief.

A day later, Lok Sabha Secretariat had issued an order disqualifying the Congress leader as Wayanad MP, besides vacating him from his official residence on Tughlak lane in April 2023.

Surat BJP leader Purnesh Modi had filed the defamation case after Rahul Gandhi made this infamous speech during an election campaign held in Kolar in Karnataka in 2018.