Rahul Gandhi receives warm reception at Delhi airport

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was returning from Surat in Gujarat, where a court earlier in the day convicted him in a criminal defamation case over his alleged 'Modi surname' remark in 2019

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi received warm reception at the IGI airport here on Thursday, after returning from Surat in Gujarat, where a court earlier in the day convicted him in a criminal defamation case over his alleged ‘Modi surname’ remark in 2019.

Rahul Gandhi was convicted under IPC Sections 499 and 500. The maximum possible punishment under this section is two years.

---

After Rahul Gandhi’s arrival in Delhi, his mother and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi also reached his residence amid sloganeering by Congress workers.

In the airport, the Congress leader was received by Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Pramod Tiwari and DMK leader T.R. Baalu.

Outside the airport, scores of Congress workers were present to receive him.

The Congress has termed the court decision “politics of vendetta and exploitation”.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said on Thursday that they will appeal in higher courts against the conviction of Rahul Gandhi.

“We will appeal in higher courts.”

The Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate H.H. Varma sentenced him to two years in jail and also imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 after finding him guilty.

However, on Rahul Gandhi’s plea, his sentence has been suspended and bail has been granted to enable him to move an appeal against his conviction within 30 days.