Rahul to appeal against his conviction in Surat court today: 10 points

Over a week after a Surat court convicted him in a criminal defamation case over his 2019 remarks and sentenced him to 2-year imprisonment, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to file an appeal against the verdict and seeking a stay on his conviction, in the same court on Monday.

The Congress leader will also seek suspension of his sentence by the Sessions court for the remarks casting aspersions on "people with Modi surname".

Here are 10 points on this big story:

Rahul Gandhi Gandhi will land in Surat at around 2 pm and straight proceed to the court room.

His sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, senior national and State level party leaders, including the Chief Ministers of the three Congress-ruled States, are likely to accompany him to the court.

Gandhi's lawyers said the matter is likely to be taken up for hearing by the Sessions court on Monday itself.

The court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate H.H. Varma in Surat on March 23 convicted 52-year-old Gandhi and sentenced him to two years in jail in the case filed by Gujarat BJP MLA Purnesh Modi against him for insulting the people having Modi surname.

The court, which held the Congress leader guilty under the Sections 499 and 500 of Indian Penal Code, had also granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to appeal in a higher court.

Purnesh Modi had sued Gandhi for his remarks "How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?" Gandhi, who was serving as an MP from Wayanad in Kerala, made the remarks while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka on April 13, 2019, during the party's campaign for Lok Sabha elections.

Meanwhile, following his conviction, the former Congress chief was on March 24 disqualified from the Lok Sabha under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

Following his disqualification, Gandhi would not be able to contest elections for eight years unless a higher court stays his conviction and sentence.

The Act holds that a Member of Parliament or a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), who is convicted for any offence and sentenced to imprisonment for not less than two years, shall be disqualified from the House with effect from the date of conviction.