India’s highest court suspended the sentence in Rahul Gandhi’s defamation case. As a result of the conviction, he was expelled from the Legislative Assembly but remained out of jail until the appeal stage of the case to the Supreme Court.
According to the news of the foreign news agency ‘AF’P, the decision of the Supreme Court may pave the way for the return of the senior opposition politician to the Parliament after his disqualification.
Rahul Gandhi, 53, was sentenced to two years in prison in March in the case after critics criticized the verdict, saying it threatened the rule of law in the world’s largest democracy.
As a result of the conviction, he was expelled from the Legislative Assembly but remained out of jail until the appeal stage of the case to the Supreme Court.
A judge said the initial trial failed to justify imposing a maximum sentence on Rahul Gandhi for his statements, which he made during an election rally four years ago.
Rahul Gandhi is an important leader of the opposition Congress Party, his party was once a major force in Indian politics.
It should be noted that Rahul Gandhi is considered to be one of the main opposition leaders of the country who will contest for the prime ministerial post against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2024. He was badly defeated by the BJP in the 2019 general elections. .
On the other hand, Narendra Modi is considered to be the most popular politician of India and he is likely to be elected as the Prime Minister for the third time in the general elections of 2024.
He is also the son, grandson and great-grandson of India’s leading political families and former Prime Ministers.
A defamation case was filed against Rahul Gandhi by a leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over a speech he made during the 2019 general elections in which he attributed the ‘Modi’ caste to thieves. .
Legislators sentenced to 2 years or more under the Penal Code are automatically disqualified.
In a statement filed by Rahul Gandhi in the Supreme Court, it was said that his speech was delivered during democratic political activities, saying that his conviction is highly detrimental to democratic freedom of expression.
During the 9-year rule of the Narendra Modi government, large-scale legal action has been taken against opposition parties and institutions.
Domestic and international media have also come under increasing pressure, with tax inspectors raiding the local offices of the British broadcaster the BBC in February.
#Supreme #Court #India #suspended #Rahul #Gandhis #sentence #defamation #case
2024-08-03 23:49:58
