The Jharkhand High Court on Wednesday granted relief to former Congress president Rahul Gandhi from personally appearing before a special Ranchi court hearing a defamation petition related to the ‘Modi surname’ case against the Wayanad MP.

The court of Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi while hearing Gandhi’s petition allowed him to be represented through his advocate before the lower court on certain conditions. The high court cautioned Gandhi that witnesses examined in his absence will not be re-examined later.

The case is related to a defamation suit filed by city advocate Pradeep Modi for Gandhi's ‘all Modis are thieves’ comment at a Lok Sabha election rally here in 2019.

The district court after recording the statements of the advocate had taken cognisance against Gandhi and issued summons to him to appear in person.

Gandhi then moved a petition before the lower court requesting exemption from personal appearance which was rejected on May 3. Thereafter, the Congress leader moved the high court seeking exemption from personal appearance which was allowed on Wednesday.

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