India's Rahul Gandhi appeals after court denies stay of defamation conviction

FILE PHOTO: Rahul Gandhi, a senior leader of India's main opposition Congress party, waves as he leaves a court after he lodged an appeal against his conviction for defamation, in Surat in the western state of Gujarat, India, April 3, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday appealed to the High Court in the western state of Gujarat seeking a stay of conviction in a defamation case, challenging a lower court's ruling against his plea, his lawyer said.

Gandhi was convicted last month in a case brought by a state lawmaker from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after comments he made that were deemed to be insulting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other people surnamed Modi.