Delhi : The Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad Rahul Gandhi was found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison over his remarks about PM Modi surname by a Surat court, Gujarat on Thursday. He has been released on bail and his sentence was suspended for next 30 days to let him appeal the decision.

Gandhi was convicted under Section 500 (dealing with defamation) of the Indian Penal Code by a Gujarat court in the 2019 defamation case. Surat, Gujarat is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state.

The case was filed by BJP MLA and Ex-Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi for saying “How come all thieves have the common surname Modi? Purnesh claimed Gandhi had defamed the Modi community by his remark.

After the verdict Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, non-violence the means to get it.”

While addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, targeting PM Modi over his last name Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi…how come they all have Modi as common surname? How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?”