Rahul Gandhi summoned by Pune court in Savarkar defamation case
Savarkar’s grand-nephew filed a complaint against the Congress leader in April 2023, accusing him of making malicious remarks about the Hindutva ideologue.
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A Pune court on Friday issued summons asking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to appear before it on October 23 in connection with a complaint against him for his remarks about Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in a 2023 speech made in London, The Indian Express reported.
In April 2023, Savarkar’s grand-nephew Satyaki Savarkar filed a defamation complaint against Gandhi, accusing him of making fictitious, false and malicious remarks about the Hindutva ideologue.
In his petition, Satyaki alleged that Gandhi had made the remarks “fully knowing the said allegations to be untrue, with the specific objective of harming the reputation and to defame the surname Savarkar…”
The case was being heard before the Judicial Magistrate First Class Akshi Jain but was transferred in September to the special court for trial of criminal cases against legislators, The Indian Express reported.
In January, the magistrate had asked Pune Police to investigate the allegations and submit their findings.
On May 27, the Pune Police submitted the inquiry report claiming that Gandhi defamed VD Savarkar in the 2023 speech.
The magistrate court had passed an order on May 30, asking Gandhi to appear before it on August 19. However, Gandhi did not receive the summons and therefore did not appear before the court, the newspaper reported.
Satyaki Savarkar has sought stringent punishment for Gandhi under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code,...
