![Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Defamation Case](http://media.assettype.com/english-sentinelassam%2Fimport%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F07%2Ffreepressjournal_2019-07_31103be6-acfd-4ac3-be17-f76364fc7cd3_Rahul_Gandhi_2-e1562300950169.jpg?w=480&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
Surat: Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi appeared in a court here in a defamation case on Thursday and pleaded not guilty. His lawyers pleaded for a permanent exemption from appearance but the complainant, state BJP MLA Purnesh Modi, objected to it. The court said that it will decide on the matter on next date of hearing, which it fixed for December 10. The case has been lodged by Surat MLA Purnesh Modi, after Gandhi, in one of his speeches, asked “why all the thieves have a Modi surname”. The Congress leader is also scheduled to appear in Ahmedabad court on Friday, in another defamation case. (IANS)