Surat court rejects the Congress leader’s petition seeking a stay of conviction in a defamation case.

A court in India’s western state of Gujarat has rejected Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s petition seeking a stay of conviction in a defamation case, a member of his legal team said.

Gandhi was convicted last month in a case brought by a state legislator from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after comments the Congress party leader made in a 2019 speech were deemed to be insulting to the prime minister and other people surnamed Modi.

The court in Surat city had sentenced Gandhi to two years in prison for his remarks referring to two fugitive Indian businessmen, both surnamed Modi.

In an election rally that year, the 52-year-old leader had asked: “How come all thieves have the name Modi?”

More to follow.