Ranchi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday sought 15 days to appear in the MP MLA court in Jharkhand capital Ranchi in the Modi surname remarks case. It is learnt that Rahul Gandhi's lawyer Pradeep Chandra has asked for 15 days time for the hearing. He informed the court that the hearing of the matter is going on in the Jharkhand High Court.
Considering this, Rahul Gandhi should be given time to appear in the court, the lawyer said. During the hearing held on Friday, Pradeep Chandra told the MP-MLA court that Rahul Gandhi's physical appearance order has been challenged in the High Court, on which the hearing is still pending. Therefore, while not hearing this matter at present, Rahul Gandhi should be given 15 days time, he said.
Also read: Jharkhand HC grants relief to Rahul Gandhi in 2019 case over controversial remark against Amit Shah
During the earlier hearing, Rahul Gandhi was ordered to be physically present in the court on 16th June. The case against Rahul Gandhi dates back to 23 April 2019 when a defamation case was filed against Rahul Gandhi by a person named Pradeep Modi in Ranchi. In his petition, the petitioner had accused the Congress leader of making controversial remarks regarding the members of the Modi caste.
The former Congress President was sentenced by the Surat Court of Gujarat earlier this year. The very next day, his parliament membership was canceled. During a Congress campaign rally for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka, Rahul had reportedly said, "Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi... how come they all have Modi as the common surname. How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?"
Rahul Gandhi is currently facing three cases in Jharkhand out of which two cases are related to Modi surname. While as one case is related to the alleged defamatory remarks made about Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
