This decision follows a previous denial of Gandhi's request for exemption and an ongoing appeal in the Jharkhand High Court, highlighting the legal battle surrounding his alleged remark, "All Modis are thieves."
In a significant development, the special court in Ranchi has provided a 15-day extension to Rahul Gandhi, the prominent Congress leader, to appear before it in connection with an ongoing hearing in the controversial 'Modi surname case.' This decision comes after Magistrate Anamika Kisku previously denied Gandhi's request for exemption from physical appearance, prompting an appeal that is currently pending in the Jharkhand High Court, as reported by Hindustan times.
Deepankar Roy, Gandhi's legal representative, expressed gratitude for the interim relief, stating, "Based on our petition in the high court, we requested a 15-day extension. The court has scheduled the next hearing for July 4." The case stems from a defamation lawsuit filed by Pradip Modi, who took offense to Gandhi's alleged comment, "All Modis are thieves," made during an election rally in Ranchi back in 2019.
It is noteworthy that Rahul Gandhi faced a similar case earlier, resulting in his conviction by a Gujarat court in March. This conviction led to his disqualification from the Lok Sabha. The controversial remark was supposedly made by Gandhi in Karnataka's Kolar district prior to the 2019 national election. The Surat court in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, found Gandhi guilty and sentenced him to two years in prison. However, Gandhi was released on bail to enable him to challenge the verdict.
Pradip, dissatisfied with the outcome, subsequently filed a defamation case against Gandhi. Despite Gandhi's efforts to have the case quashed, the Jharkhand High Court rejected his petition on July 2, 2022. In May, the MP-MLA court in Ranchi also turned down Gandhi's plea for exemption from personal appearance, leading to the issuance of a fresh summons.