AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday refused to grant interim relief to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on his plea for a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case. A single-judge bench of Justice Hemant Prachchhak said no protection can be given to the disqualified MP at this stage adding that it will pass a final order after summer vacation (May 8 to June 4).
“It is in the interest and fitness of the case that the matter be decided finally and no interim protection be granted at this stage,” Justice Prachchhak said, adding he will pass a final order only after going through the records and proceedings.
Rahul was awarded a two-year jail term by a Surat court in March, following which he was disqualified as a Member of Parliament. A stay of the conviction would have paved the way for his reinstatement as MP. During Tuesday’s hearing, Rahul’s lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi cited ‘extreme urgency’ to seek interim relief, saying the sentence is too harsh for a first-time offender.
Advocate Nirupam Nanavati, appearing for BJP MLA Purnesh Modi, the original complainant in the case, said the Congress leader is a repeat offender and that multiple cases have been filed against him for his utterances against Veer Savarkar.