The Supreme Court has stayed the conviction of former Indian MP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case. The case revolved around remarks made by Gandhi questioning why all thieves allegedly have the surname 'Modi'. With the conviction now suspended, Gandhi's disqualification as an MP has also been put on hold. The trial judge should have given reasons for imposing the maximum punishment for a non-compoundable, bailable and cognizable offence. The appellate court and High Court spent many pages rejecting the appeal, but the trial judge's failure to explain the sentence remains problematic.
