Congress to move SC after HC's refusal to stay Rahul's conviction in defamation case
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Friday said it will move the Supreme Court against the Gujarat High Court order refusing to stay Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a defamation case.
In Kozhikode, AICC general secretary, Organisation, KC Venugopal said the party would would move an appeal before the Supreme Court challenging the Gujarat High Court order.
"There is one more option before us... the Supreme Court. Let's see. The Congress party will seek that option too," Venugopal said while addressing a party programme.
The Gujarat High Court on Friday dismissed Gandhi's plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark.
"We will study the Gujarat HC verdict on Sh. @RahulGandhi ji's conviction and explore all available legal options. Rahul ji is a fierce voice that takes the Modi government head on. No force can silence him, the truth will triumph and justice will ultimately prevail. Every patriotic Indian is in support of Rahul ji in this fight," he said on Twitter.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the reasoning of the judge is being studied and the matter will be taken up further.
"We have noted the verdict of the single-judge bench of the Gujarat High Court on the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi. The reasoning of the Hon'ble judge is being studied, as it should be, and Dr. Abhishek Singhvi will be briefing the media in detail at 3 pm. The judgement only redoubles our resolve to pursue the matter further," Ramesh said on Twitter.
Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala termed it a "Travesty of justice".
"Instead of punishing 'Bank Fraudsters' like Nirav Modi, Ami Modi, Neeshal Modi, Mehul Choksi and ilk, the 'messenger' exposing the deceit and swindling of public money is being punished," Surjewala said in a tweet.
He said Rahul Gandhi has chosen the path of truth, of righteousness, of fearlessness and of seeking accountability from those in citadels of power.
"We will tread upon the path of truth and righteousness, come what may... Satyamev Jayate !" the Congress leader said.
While dismissing the plea, Justice Hemant Prachchhak noted that Gandhi is already facing 10 cases across India, adding the order of the lower court was "just, proper and legal" in convicting the Congress leader.
The court noted that there is no reasonable ground to stay the conviction.
A metropolitan magistrate's court in Surat on March 23 had sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail after convicting him under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 499 and 500 (criminal defamation) in a 2019 case filed by BJP Gujarat MLA Purnesh Modi.
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Accused gunman at correspondents' dinner was believed to be targeting top officials, Blanche says
Washington (AP): The accused gunman who tried to storm the ballroom at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner with guns and knives travelled across the country before the event and is believed to have been targeting members of the Trump administration, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday.
Blanche also said officials believe the suspect traveled by train from California to Chicago and then on to Washington, where in recent days he checked in as a guest to the hotel where one of Washington's glitziest events was being held Saturday night.
Investigators have not publicly named the suspect, but two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter have identified him to The Associated Press as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California.
Law enforcement officials who have examined the gunman's electronic devices and his writings preliminarily believe he intended to target administration members in attendance at the dinner. He attempted to charge into the cavernous ballroom at the Washington Hilton but was tackled to the ground in a chaotic scene that resulted in shots being fired, President Donald Trump being hurried off the stage and guests ducking for cover beneath their tables.
“It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,” Blanche told NBC's “Meet the Press.”
The suspect is believed to have purchased the firearms he carried within the last couple of years, Blanche said. He is not being cooperative and is expected to face multiple charges on Monday.
Video posted by Trump showed the suspect running past security barricades as Secret Service agents ran toward him. One officer was shot in a bullet-resistant vest but was recovering, officials said. The gunman was taken into custody and was not injured, but was being evaluated at a hospital, police said.
“He failed,” Blanche said on CBS's “Face the Nation.” “Law enforcement did their jobs.”
Social media posts that appear to match the suspect show he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.
A May 2025 profile photo of Allen appears to match the appearance of the man in a photo of the alleged attacker being taken into custody that was posted Saturday night by Trump. The photo, posted to the social networking site LinkedIn, shows him in a cap and gown after graduating with a master's degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Allen earned a bachelor's degree in 2017 in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. He listed his involvement there in a Christian student fellowship and a campus group that battled with Nerf guns.
The shooting at the security barricades happened minutes after the event got underway.
The Secret Service and other authorities swarmed the room as guests ducked under tables by the hundreds. Gasps echoed through the ballroom as guests realized something was happening. Hundreds of journalists immediately got on phones to call in information.
“Out of the way, sir!” someone yelled. Others yelled to duck. From one corner, a “God Bless America” chant began as the president was escorted offstage. Outside the hotel, members of the National Guard and other authorities flooded the area as helicopters circled overhead.
After an initial attempt to resume the event, it was scrapped for the night and will be rescheduled.
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