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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Explosion near CRPF School in Delhi caused by lit cigarette butts: Report
New Delhi: The investigation team that probed the explosion that took place outside the CRPF School in the Prashant Vihar area of the city on October 20 morning has reportedly not found any terror force behind the blast.
The investigation team, consisting of Delhi Police and staff members from central agencies, has stated in its report that cigarette butts thrown by a local resident might have come in contact with industrial waste and have caused the explosion. Circumstantial evidence does not show the incident to have a terror angle to it, reports The Indian Express.
The Delhi Police, the city bomb squad and the fire brigade had rushed to the spot following the explosion, which was initially believed to have been caused by a crude bomb. The forensic experts who inspected the spot hinted at the presence of potassium chlorate, hydrogen peroxide and some electrical wires there. The school wall had been damaged and the windows of a car nearby had shattered in the explosion.
The investigation team scanned the CCTV camera footage and zeroed in on around 10 people questioned. A senior police officer said that a North Delhi-based businessman from Prashant Vihar was found to be present at the spot around five minutes before the explosion, as he had come there on Sunday morning to walk his dog. The CCTV footage showed him smoking and, after questioning him, the team concluded that he had left lit cigarette butts before leaving the spot, the officer added.
The spot where the explosion took place is learned to have been usually used for dumping garbage and also has a public urinal.
An officer has said that the Delhi Police had consulted forensic and technical experts of the National Security Guard regarding the things found on the explosion site but are yet to get the report. The officer added that they have found no detonator so far.
