Rahul Gandhi is facing a defamation case filed by Sushil Modi for his remark during a rally

Rahul Gandhi was granted bail today by a court in Patna, in a defamation case filed by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi for allegedly saying "all thieves have the surname Modi". Mr Gandhi had allegedly said so at an election rally in Maharashtra.

In April, 2019, Sushil Kumar Modi had filed a defamation case against then Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his remark equating all people who have the name 'Modi' to thieves, saying "It defames and hurts the sentiments of everyone who has the surname".

Rahul Gandhi, who was campaigning at the time for the 2019 Lok Sabha election, had his campaign centered around the slogan "Chowkidar chor hai" - a slogan he had coined. Mr Gandhi had gone on to say that, "I have a question. Why do all the thieves have Modi in their names? Be it Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi or Narendra Modi? We don't know how many more such Modis will come out,"

Former IPL chief and tainted cricket administrator Lalit Modi had also threatened to sue Rahul Gandhi for his remark about him.

Lalit Modi faces allegations of money laundering and is wanted by Indian authorities. In March 2017, the Interpol rejected India's appeal for a global warrant against him.

Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi fled the country after allegedly siphoning off about Rs 13,000 crore from Punjab National Bank using Letters of Undertaking in collusion with his uncle Mehul Choski.

Earlier today, Rahul Gandhi had said he will appear in court for the case filed by his "political opponents" in the BJP-RSS to allegedly "harass and intimidate" him.

Mr Gandhi's appearance in a court in Patna today comes two days after he, as well as CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, pleaded 'not guilty' in a separate defamation case in Mumbai filed against them by an RSS worker. Both leaders had been granted bail there too.

Mr Gandhi pleaded 'not guilty' today as well, and shortly after being granted bail, claimed, "Whoever raises their voice against the Modi government or BJP-RSS is slapped with court cases."

