India’s Gandhi appeals against defamation conviction, hearing on April 13

SURAT: Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi Monday lodged an appeal against his conviction for defamation, hoping to overturn a judgement that resulted in his expulsion from parliament a year before a general election is due.

The court accepted his petition and posted it for hearing on April 13.

Parliament bars Rahul Gandhi

Gandhi, 52, was found guilty of defamation last month in a case brought by a state lawmaker from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after comments Gandhi made in a 2019 speech were deemed to be insulting to the prime minister and other people surnamed Modi.