Ranchi, Jharkhand: A court in Ranchi will hear on Saturday a petition filed by Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, seeking exemption from personal appearances in a defamation case against him. The case stems from remarks made by Gandhi during a 2019 election rally concerning the "Modi surname."

Gandhi's legal team filed the petition under Section 205 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) on August 14, following summons issued by Ranchi's MP/MLA Special Court. The summons were issued after Pradeep Modi, a Ranchi resident, filed the defamation case against Gandhi in April 2019.

Modi's lawsuit alleges that Gandhi made a defamatory statement during an election rally in April 2019, where he allegedly remarked, "Why do all thieves share the Modi surname?" The statement sparked controversy and led to Modi filing the defamation case, along with a separate civil suit seeking Rs 20 crore in damages.

The Jharkhand High Court had provided interim relief to the Lok Sabha LoP in August, exempting him from personal appearances in the case. The outcome of Saturday's hearing remains to be seen.