Modi surname case: Ranchi court rejects Rahul Gandhi's plea seeking exemption from personal appearance
1 min read . Updated: 03 May 2023, 07:33 PM IST
PremiumCongress leader Rahul Gandhi is facing several defamation cases over remarks made in 2019 during the election campaign for the Lok Sabha elections.
An MP/MLA court in Ranchi has rejected Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's plea seeking exemption from personal appearance in the Modi surname case. The defamation case - one of several legal issues currently faced by the former lawmaker - had been filed by an individual named Pradeep Modi in Ranchi.
The development also comes mere days after the Jharkhand High Court extended its stay on a notice by a local judicial magistrate for personal appearance. The case had been filed against him for allegedly maligning BJP leader Amit Shah, with the HC first staying the notice for his appearance on February 3.
Gandhi faces multiple cases over the remarks made in 2019 during the election campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. Earlier on April 24 the Patna High Court had granted him some relief in a 'Modi surname' case filed by former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi.
Meanwhile the Gujarat HC has said that it will pass a final order on Rahul Gandhi's plea post-summer vacation. The court refused to grant interim relief in the 'Modi surname' case even as his counsel cited "extreme urgency" for the request.
Abhishek Manu Singhvi maintained during final submissions that there was hardly any instance in criminal defamation where an accused was sentenced to more than 3 to 6 months in jail. He noted that his client was a first-time offender. A stay of conviction would pave the way for Gandhi's reinstatement as a Member of Parliament.
(With inputs from agencies)