Purnesh Modi
Purnesh Modi (born Purnesh Bhootwala) is an MLA from Gujarat Legislative Assembly. He won the by-election for the 13th Legislative Assembly in Gujarat, which was facilitated following the death of the then MLA Kishor Vankawala. He lives in Adajan Area, Surat along with his family.
Political career
Modi won the by-elections held on 4 December 2013 for the vacated seat of Surat West Assembly constituency. He further got elected from the same seat for the 2017 and 2022 elections.
Rahul Gandhi case
In 2019, Modi filed a criminal defamation case against Wayanad MP, Rahul Gandhi for a speech comparing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with fugitives like Lalit Modi and Nirav Modi through their surname. Gandhi remarked; "Why do all thieves, be it Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi or Narendra Modi, have Modi in their names."
Purnesh Modi had the distinction of being a party that had requested a stay on a case that he himself started. The stay was lifted after the judge was changed. On 23 March 2023, the Surat court convicted Gandhi and sentenced him to two years of imprisonment. Following the Representation of People Act, 1951, Gandhi was disqualified as member of the Lok Sabha on 24 March 2023. On 4 August, Gandhi's conviction was stayed by the Supreme Court of India pending appeal.