Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been sentenced to two years in jail by a court in Surat, Gujarat in a 2019 criminal defamation case. The case was filed against him over his remarks asking “why all thieves have Modi surname”. Gandhi was present in court when the verdict was announced and later quoted Mahatma Gandhi in a tweet about truth and non-violence. The court found Gandhi guilty under Indian Penal Code sections 499 and 500, but also granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court. If sentenced to imprisonment of two years or more, a person is disqualified from the date of conviction and remains disqualified for another six years after serving time, as per the Representation of the People Act. The Congress party has said that Gandhi will file an appeal against the verdict. In its order, the court stated that Gandhi’s position as a Member of Parliament and the wide impact of his speeches on the public increased the seriousness of his crime. The court also noted that despite being warned by the Supreme Court in a previous case, there appeared to be no change in his conduct.
