This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-65332623
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Rahul Gandhi: India court dismisses Congress leader's appeal against conviction | Rahul Gandhi: India court dismisses Congress leader's appeal against conviction |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| An Indian court has rejected opposition leader Rahul Gandhi's appeal seeking a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case. | An Indian court has rejected opposition leader Rahul Gandhi's appeal seeking a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case. |
| The decision extends the uncertainty over whether he can contest in national elections due next year. | The decision extends the uncertainty over whether he can contest in national elections due next year. |
| Mr Gandhi has been sentenced to two years in jail for 2019 comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surname at an election rally. | Mr Gandhi has been sentenced to two years in jail for 2019 comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surname at an election rally. |
| He won't be arrested until he has exhausted all legal appeals. | He won't be arrested until he has exhausted all legal appeals. |
| Mr Gandhi's lawyer, Kirit Panwala, told the BBC that they will challenge the decision in the Gujarat high court. | Mr Gandhi's lawyer, Kirit Panwala, told the BBC that they will challenge the decision in the Gujarat high court. |
| Mr Gandhi lost his seat in parliament a day after his conviction on 23 March due to a Supreme Court order which says that a lawmaker convicted in a crime and sentenced to two or more years in jail is disqualified with immediate effect. | Mr Gandhi lost his seat in parliament a day after his conviction on 23 March due to a Supreme Court order which says that a lawmaker convicted in a crime and sentenced to two or more years in jail is disqualified with immediate effect. |
| The Congress has criticised Mr Gandhi's conviction and accused the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of political vendetta. | The Congress has criticised Mr Gandhi's conviction and accused the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of political vendetta. |
| The BJP has denied this, saying that due judicial process was followed in the case. | The BJP has denied this, saying that due judicial process was followed in the case. |
| Earlier this month, Mr Gandhi had filed appeals to suspend his sentence, or secure bail, and to suspend his conviction in a court in Surat. | Earlier this month, Mr Gandhi had filed appeals to suspend his sentence, or secure bail, and to suspend his conviction in a court in Surat. |
| The court had granted Mr Gandhi bail to appeal against his conviction, but it's the stay or suspension of his conviction that's crucial to reinstating him as an MP. | The court had granted Mr Gandhi bail to appeal against his conviction, but it's the stay or suspension of his conviction that's crucial to reinstating him as an MP. |
| The defamation case against Mr Gandhi, brought by BJP lawmaker Purnesh Modi, revolved around comments Mr Gandhi made in Karnataka state in 2019 during an election rally: "Why do all these thieves have Modi as their surname? Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi," he said. | The defamation case against Mr Gandhi, brought by BJP lawmaker Purnesh Modi, revolved around comments Mr Gandhi made in Karnataka state in 2019 during an election rally: "Why do all these thieves have Modi as their surname? Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi," he said. |
| Nirav Modi is a fugitive Indian diamond tycoon while Lalit Modi is a former chief of the Indian Premier League who has been banned for life by the country's cricket board. | Nirav Modi is a fugitive Indian diamond tycoon while Lalit Modi is a former chief of the Indian Premier League who has been banned for life by the country's cricket board. |
| Purnesh Modi in his complaint alleged that the comments had defamed the entire Modi community. However, Mr Gandhi said that he made the comment to highlight corruption and it was not directed against any community. | Purnesh Modi in his complaint alleged that the comments had defamed the entire Modi community. However, Mr Gandhi said that he made the comment to highlight corruption and it was not directed against any community. |
| Additional reporting by Suchitra Mohanty. | Additional reporting by Suchitra Mohanty. |
| BBC News India is now on YouTube. Click here to subscribe and watch our documentaries, explainers and features. | |
| Read more India stories from the BBC: | Read more India stories from the BBC: |
| The job crisis driving Indians to big cities | The job crisis driving Indians to big cities |
| Is India ready to deal with deadly heatwaves? | Is India ready to deal with deadly heatwaves? |
| When a biryani flies hundreds of miles to reach Indians | When a biryani flies hundreds of miles to reach Indians |
| Tim Cook launches India's first Apple Store | Tim Cook launches India's first Apple Store |
| India court hears historic same sex marriage case | India court hears historic same sex marriage case |
| The brazen murder of a mafia don-turned-politician | The brazen murder of a mafia don-turned-politician |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Rahul Gandhi | Rahul Gandhi |
| Asia | Asia |
| India | India |
Previous version
1
Next version