Patna: Deputy chief minister of Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi on Thursday filed a defamation case against AICC President Rahul Gandhi for his “all thieves have Modi surname” remark.

Sushil Kumar Modi filed the case in the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s (CJM) court seeking “punishment for defaming” people with Modi surname. Lawyers said that the case has been filed under Section 500 of the IPC which has the provisions for imprisonment up to two years.

“I am deeply hurt by Rahul Gandhi’s remark. Besides insulting the Prime Minister, he has also hurt the sentiments of people belonging to this community. I have also requested the court to summon Mr Rahul Gandhi and initiate criminal proceedings against him”, Deputy chief minister of Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi said after filing a defamation case against Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Patna.

Rahul Gandhi while addressing an election rally at Kolar in Karnataka on April 13 had launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over corruption issue and said, “how all thieves have Modi surname”.

During his speech, Mr Gandhi had accused the Prime Minister of colluding with fugitive businessmen like Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi.

The Congress, however, claimed that BJP leaders including Sushil Kumar Modi “misunderstood the context in which the statement was given by Rahul Gandhi during his election rally in Karnataka”.