'Will continue legal battle': Complainant BJP MLA on SC relief to Rahul Gandhi

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi, who filed the defamation suit against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over 'Modi' surname remark, said he respects the supreme court verdict.

Follow Rahul Gandhi case LIVE Updates here

"Today, SC has stayed Rahul Gandhi's conviction. We welcome this verdict given by the court. We will continue our legal battle in the court," he told news agency ANI in response to the top court's decision to stay the conviction.

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the conviction of Rahul Gandhi in a 2019 defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark while saying that a person in public life is expected to exercise caution while making public speeches.

Purnesh Modi had filed the case against Gandhi over his "How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?" remark made during an election rally in Karnataka Kolar in 2019.

Read here: Rahul Gandhi eligible to return to Parliament as early as Monday

The apex court while granting relief to Gandhi said the ramifications of the trial court’s order are wide, adding that Gandhi ought to have been more careful.

“Trial judge has awarded maximum sentence of two years. Except for the admonition by Supreme Court, no other reason has been granted for this by the trial judge forwarding a maximum of two years of the sentence. It is to be noted only on account of this maximum sentence, provisions of the Representation of People Act have come into play. Had the sentence been a day lesser, provisions would not have been attracted,” the bench stated in its order.

Meanwhile, the Congress hailed judgment, calling it as a strong vindication of truth and asserting that "no force can silence the voice of the people".

The top court was hearing a plea by Gandhi challenging the Gujarat High Court verdict which dismissed his plea seeking a stay on his conviction in the defamation case over Modi surname remark.

Read here: Lion will again roar in parliament: Cong after SC's verdict on Rahul Gandhi

Gandhi was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment by a Surat local court which disqualified him as MP from Kerala’s Wayanad on March 24 following notification of the Lok Sabha Secretariat, under the rigours of the Representation of People Act.