Rahul Gandhi addresses a press conference after he was expelled from parliament on March 24, a day after a court convicted him of defamation and sentenced him to two years in prison for mocking the surname Narendra Modi in an election speech, in New Delhi, India, March 25, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

NEW DELHI - Former leader of India's main opposition Congress party Rahul Gandhi on Monday filed an appeal against his conviction and jail sentence in a criminal defamation case related to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Following his conviction, the lower house of the Indian parliament (locally known as Lok Sabha) disqualified the former president of the Indian National Congress (INC) party as a lawmaker

A court in the western Indian state of Gujarat has extended his bail until April 13 when the next hearing is to be held.

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Last month the court sentenced Gandhi to two years in prison for his 2019 comments on Modi's surname during an election rally.

Following his conviction, the lower house of the Indian parliament (locally known as Lok Sabha) disqualified the former president of the Indian National Congress (INC) party as a lawmaker.

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Last week, Congress party members held protests in India's several states against Gandhi's disqualification of parliament membership.