New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is likely to move the Surat sessions court on Monday against his conviction in a 2019 defamation case and his two-year jail term in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his “Modi surname” remarks, sources said.

Congress leader’s legal team handling the case has 30 days from March 23 to file an appeal

The former Congress chief was on March 23 held guilty in the defamation case by a court in Surat in Gujarat. The defamation case was filed against the Congress MP on a complaint by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi over his “How come all thieves have the common surname Modi” remarks.

The Surat court sentenced Rahul Gandhi to two years of jail term. He was later granted bail and his two-year prison sentence was suspended for 30 days. Following his conviction, Gandhi was disqualified as a member of Lok Sabha.

The Congress leader has, in his plea, sought a stay on the Magistrate order convicting him in the defamation case.

According to sources, the 168-page judgement of the Surat court against Gandhi has been translated by experts and the petition is ready for filing. However, Gandhi’s legal team is taking an “abundantly cautious approach” keeping in view the repercussions that it could have on the two other similar cases filed in Patna and Ranchi courts on the same grounds, PTI reported.

The Congress leader’s legal team handling the case has 30 days from March 23 to file an appeal before the sessions court.

The former Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad made the remarks while addressing a rally during an election campaign in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah last week said Rahul Gandhi was not the only politician who has lost membership of the legislature after being convicted by a court. He also said that Gandhi should go to a higher court to fight his case. Instead, Shah added, he has been trying to put blame on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.