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NEW DELHI — Rahul Gandhi, the chief of the principle occasion opposing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, was convicted of defamation and sentenced to jail on Thursday, the most recent blow to the beleaguered opposition occasion only a 12 months earlier than nationwide elections.
Mr. Gandhi was instantly granted 30 days’ bail. His occasion stated he would enchantment the conviction.
A court docket in Gujarat, Mr. Modi’s dwelling state, sentenced Mr. Gandhi to 2 years in jail. He was convicted in reference to a 2019 speech wherein he linked the prime minister’s household identify to that of two Indian fugitives, Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi, accused of swindling thousands and thousands of {dollars}.
“How come all of the thieves have Modi because the frequent identify?” Mr. Gandhi stated whereas campaigning in the course of the 2019 elections.
Purnesh Modi, a neighborhood legislator from the prime minister’s governing Bharatiya Janata Celebration in Gujarat, had filed the defamation swimsuit in opposition to Mr. Gandhi, arguing that he discovered the remark offensive and hurtful.
Mr. Gandhi has been attempting to revive the political fortunes of his once-mighty Indian Nationwide Congress Celebration, which has been below hearth currently from Mr. Modi’s occasion after Mr. Gandhi questioned India’s democratic standing on a latest go to to London. Mr. Modi’s occasion known as his remarks “anti-national.”
“The coward, dictatorial authorities of BJP is stressed as a result of Rahul Gandhi and the opposition are bringing their black deeds to gentle,” Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the Congress occasion, stated in a response on Twitter, referring to Mr. Modi’s occasion.
Mr. Gandhi’s occasion has stated it would enchantment his conviction to increased courts.
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