Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will have to personally appear before a Jharkhand court in connection with a 2019 defamation case over his ‘Modi surname’ remark.

The court on Wednesday denied Rahul’s plea for exempting him from personal appearance in the court.

Advocate Pradip Modi had filed a case in Ranchi in 2019 after Rahul’s statement during the election campaign in Karnataka then. "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 had said.

Three defamation cases are have been filed against Rahul Gandhi in Jharkhand, one at Chaibasa and two cases in Ranchi, in connection with the remark.

Also read: Gujarat High Court Judge recuses self from Rahul Gandhi’s criminal defamation appeal

In another case filed in a Gujarat court over the same remark, Rahul Gandhi was convicted and sentenced to two years jail, as a result of which he lost his Lok Sabha membership.

(Edited by : Pradeep John)