Surat (Gujarat) [India], March 23 (ANI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was held guilty by a corut in Surat in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his alleged 'Modi surname' remarks.

The Surat District Court pronounced the verdict in the case for his alleged "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?" remarks on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi.

Also Read | Modi Surname Remarks: Gujarat Court Holds Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi Guilty in Criminal Defamation Case.

Gandhi had made the alleged remarks about Modi's surname at a rally in Karnataka's Kolar, ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Last week, the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma concluded hearing final arguments from both sides and set March 23 to pronounce its judgment in the four-year-old defamation case. (ANI)

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(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)