No coercive action against Rahul Gandhi: Jharkhand HC on Modi surname case
The special court hearing MP, MLA cases in Ranchi rejected Gandhi’s petition for exemption from personal appearance in the case on May 3
RANCHI: The Jharkhand high court on Tuesday directed that no coercive action should be taken against Rahul Gandhi till the high court decides on a petition filed by the Congress leader seeking exemption from personal appearance in the Modi surname defamation case.
The special court hearing MP, MLA cases in Ranchi rejected Gandhi’s petition for exemption from personal appearance in the case on May 3, which was challenged by the Congress leader in the high court.
Justice Sanjeev Dwivedi asked the complainant who filed the case against Rahul Gandhi to respond to his petition and posted the next hearing on August 16, Gandhi’s lawyer Deepankar Roy said.
“We informed the court that our client was ready to give an undertaking that he would neither dispute his identity during the court proceeding, nor would raise objection if witnesses are examined in his absence and in the presence of his counsel. After the hearing, the court ordered no coercive action and has sought reply from the complainant,” he said.
The defamation case was filed by lawyer Pradip Modi, who sued the Congress leader for defamation over his 2019 comment at an election rally in Ranchi asking how all the thieves have Modi as a common surname, referring to fugitives Lalit Modi and Nirav Modi, and targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Rahul Gandhi was convicted by a Gujarat court in March this year in a similar case and subsequently disqualified from the Lok Sabha.